


Heat and Happiness

by RedheadedSuperhero



Category: Supernatural
Genre: ABO dynamics, Alpha Dean, Bottom Castiel, Dom/sub Play, Knotting, M/M, Marking, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Castiel, Past Rape/Non-con, Top Dean, accidental claiming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2018-12-08 20:35:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 85,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11654241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedheadedSuperhero/pseuds/RedheadedSuperhero
Summary: Castiel Novak was a rare omega: Despite social prejudice he had put himself through law school and worked as an advisor for a consulting company. Even though his omega status posed a constant challenge in his every-day life, he was content enough with his situation – as long as he managed to stay away from all alphas. That is, until his heat hit early and there was just the perfect alpha in front of him. But Castiel didn’t expect that his life was about to change so drastically.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you are looking for a tight plot, clever twists and nail-biting suspense – you are not going to find those things here. You will find, however: a bit of angst, lots of fluff and a healthy dose of smut. XD

It happened right before what very well might have been the most important meeting of his professional life. After waking up that morning, he had already felt hot and lightheaded – but he had blamed his nerves. Now, waiting in his simple office in the middle of the afternoon, he had no doubt what was happening.

He was about to go into heat. At the presumably worst moment imaginable.

And it was _way_ too early!

Castiel Novak was one of the rare omegas who had made a life of their own in a respectable position. Despite his upbringing in a _traditional_ family he had defied conventions by putting himself through law school – accepting any paying job he could get. As long as he got to leave his clothes on. Now, after years of hard work and degrading remarks, he worked as a minor legal advisor in a major consulting company. Granted, they probably only hired him to earn some credits in the diversity department – but Castiel knew he was good at his job.

Thereby he was one of the few exceptions to the rule. Most omegas stayed at home; cooking and cleaning. Pleasing their mates being their most important task in life.

Castiel had always hated those stereotypes and he was set to never let himself be tied to another person. There might have been times when he silently wished for someone at his side, but he valued his independency too much to ever truly consider mating. He liked his job, i.e. he liked to _have_ a job, and he wanted to carry his life in his own hands. Betas often expected omegas to stay at home or at least to work in typical omega professions, like nurses or kindergarten teachers.  Alphas even had the right to forbid their mates to work altogether – they practically could dictate all important decisions for omegas, thanks to some archaic legislation.

So for years Castiel had tried to suppress his omega side – the part of him that craved to be held and lean into a strong alpha. For that exact purpose, he put himself on strong suppressants that dampened his scent and let him suffer through heat only once a year.

That thought brought him abruptly back to the problem at hand.

“Hey, Angelcakes, Naomi and Uriel just brought your client into the board room. You better hurry,” came a cheery voice through the intercom.

Castiel stared at the speaker, at this point fully panicking. He didn’t know what to do.

He was supposed to attend a meeting with the COO of an important new client firm. WinSec was a successful security company that had hired Castiel’s firm to establish a plan to reorganize data about their clients. The omega had worked hard on the current proposal and had created the whole concept virtually on his own. Not to mention he had been preparing for two weeks for this meeting with Mr. Crowley. Finally, he was invited to actual negotiations!

And now his biology threatened to thwart all his efforts.

He could not delay the meeting – not with the client already _in_ the building. Besides, Castiel was just a minor employee. Theoretically he could let Uriel handle everything; the beta was well enough informed and presumably Castiel would not get a word in anyway. But he had worked so hard on the outlet. He was the one who should make the deal – or at least be part of it. Well, at the _very_ least he should be allowed to be _in the same room_.

Moreover, if he stepped aside now – for an _omega matter_ nonetheless – he would never hear the end of it. How an omega was unfit for such responsible assignments. How easily they got overpowered by their nature. Frail and spineless. _The only thing you are good for is spreading your legs. Or kneel before me and open that hungry mouth of yours._

Castiel took a deep breath and stood determined. At the same time the door sprung open and his co-worker Pamela flew in.

“What is taking you so long? Want Uriel to get all the…”

The beta came to an abrupt halt as she took his appearance in: he was sweating and looked more dishevelled than she had ever seen him. Her beta nose could not yet pick up on the strong pheromones of heat – but the omega scent on Castiel was definitely stronger than normal.

“What’s wrong? Castiel?”

“Heat,” the omega whispered, sounding almost ashamed.

“Gods, sweetie. Should we just call…?”

Castiel took another deep breath and responded in a voice that sounded more convinced than he felt: “ _We_ shouldn’t do anything. _I_ will go to my meeting.” Pam started to interrupt, but Castiel ignored her. “My heat is just starting. I will be quite coherent for the next few hours. I can do this. Besides, they are all betas and probably won’t notice anything anyway.”

With that, Castiel picked up his documents and passed a perplexed assistant on his way to the board room.

>><< 

 

 _Alpha_.

The second Castiel entered the room, he knew he had made a mistake.

A very substantial mistake.

Before he was even through the door, Castiel got hit by the most delicious scent he ever encountered. His knees nearly gave out and he paused right at the door. This couldn’t be.

Could it? He had checked. Of course he had checked. Fergus Crowley, COO of WinSec, was a beta. Or more accurately: he was supposed to be one.

Castiel looked at the three business partners by the window. Yes, there was definitely an alpha in the room. Even without the overpowering scent, everything on the man, dressed casually in dress pants and a plain blue shirt, screamed _top dog_.

And he was perfect. For the fraction of a second Castiel could admire the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.  Tall with broad shoulders and a typical alpha stance that emphasized dominance despite the casual attitude. The handsome face with green eyes and full lips was framed by a strong jawline.

And that scent. Gods, that scent… This was not just an alpha. This was an A+ full-on dominant alpha’s alpha. Castiel swallowed, hard.

Naomi and Uriel, his seniors, had not yet noticed their co-worker by the door. But the stranger turned his head abruptly and stared right into Castiel’s eyes. His nostrils flared and just for a second those beautiful lips turned into a predatory grin.

Of course the alpha knew instantly about Castiel’s condition. His instincts were probably screaming at him to breed the unmated omega, or so Castiel thought desperately.

Involuntarily, Castiel turned his gaze to the floor and submissively bared his neck just a fraction. In response, the alpha turned fully towards him. This first impression might not have taken longer than a second – but for Castiel time stood still.

So many scenarios shifted through his mind in just one moment. The omega on his knees, pleasing the alpha. The alpha telling him to strip in front of his superiors with Castiel having to follow his orders. The alpha bending him over the table and…

This was one of the many reasons society saw omegas as unfit for any leading positions. If a strong alpha gave a command, it was hard for any omega – and most betas for that matter – to ignore an order. For an unmated omega in heat though, it was impossible to deny even the mildest request of an alpha. All instincts were running wild to please and submit. Horrified, Castiel felt slick pooling between his cheeks at the thought of that handsome man using him. Here he was – face to face with his professional downfall and yet he could not prevent himself from getting oddly excited.

“Ah, there you are, Castiel.” The shifted attention of their client made Naomi and Uriel finally notice their employee and walk towards him. The betas were unaware of Castiel’s condition since his heat was just beginning – nonetheless Naomi eyed him curiously for a moment.

“There has been a slight change of plans. Mr. Crowley will not be joining us today. However, we are delighted to be accompanied by Mr. Dean Winchester, the CEO of WinSec himself. Mr. Winchester, may I introduce you to Castiel Novak, one of our counsels. He helped with the project.”

The alpha all but prowled towards Castiel and made to shake his hand. Castiel froze – he knew if he touched the man in any way, he would lose the last fraction of control he clung on to. Mr. Winchester seemed to notice this at the same time, and let his hand fall casually on the back of a chair in a somewhat awkward gesture.

“Well, Mr. Novak, it is a pleasure to meet you.” This was bad. Really bad. Even his voice was perfect. Castiel tried to summon all his courage and made himself look the alpha in the eye – if only for a moment.

“Mr. Winchester…” he mumbled.

The Alpha eyed him contemplatively for a moment. Then: “You know what, Naomi, to not waste the time of all three of you – why doesn’t Mr. Novak here run me by the most important steps of the agenda?”

Naomi and Uriel looked at each other, perplexed. It was clear that neither of them wanted to miss this opportunity of associating with the influential alpha. Not to mention that technically Castiel was too low in the company ranking to have a one-on-one with such an important client. If they had been expecting the CEO instead of Mr. Crowley, no one would have even considered inviting the omega.

 “It was nice meeting you, but I would not want to detain you from more pressing matters. Thank you for your time.” The latter was said with an authority that left no room for argument. Castiel whined inwardly. This should not have turned him on so much; he didn’t even like bossy alphas. Oh, how much he hated to be in heat!

After the two betas had left the room – still quite startled – Dean took his tablet and looked inquiringly at Castiel: “Shall we start?”

Castiel was taken aback. He had feared the alpha cleared the room to take advantage of the omega’s _situation_ , but the man actually moved a few steps away from him to reach for some papers Naomi had already brought in. Castiel cleared his throat and tried to focus on the task ahead. Professionally.

“Mr. Winchester, please have a seat. I suggest I talk you through the contract in all detail. Feel free to ask questions at any time.”

The gorgeous alpha agreed, sat at the head of the table, legs leisurely spread, and looked expectantly at the omega. So far he had not made the slightest pass at Castiel and the omega was calming down considerably. He sat down at what he felt was a safe distance and started to recite the various aspects of the agenda. Dean studied the draft with a concentrated expression and asked a couple of questions occasionally or put in some suggestions.

After nearly two hours, Dean looked at Castiel: “I like it. I do. I believe we are going to work very well together. Our companies, that is.”

The alpha grinned widely and Castiel felt a weight being lifted from his chest. He did it. He took a large breath of relieve and instantly noticed his mistake. For the last two hours Castiel had concentrated on never looking directly at the handsome man before him and breathing as evenly as possible. Now he got hit by a radiant smile and again the most amazing scent. Gods, the dominance level of this man must be off the scale!

Castiel had been in heat before – he knew, how enticing all alphas suddenly seemed, how he yearned to be touched. But never before had he experienced something like this. Unlike common (alpha) belief, omegas did not actually crave to present to any alpha just because their mating cycle kicked in. Yes, they felt a strong sexual desire and the need would only grow if it wasn’t satisfied – but if someone would appear repulsive or merely unattractive outside of heat, a few overacting pheromones would not change that. And Castiel had never been easily aroused.

But now he could feel a large amount of slick pooling between his cheeks as his imagination run wild with an incoherent sequence of scenarios, staring the man before him. His underwear was undoubtedly soaked by now.  Of course, the alpha noticed the change in atmosphere instantly and let out a low appreciative growl. The sound nearly made Castiel whimper. Again. Mr. Winchester just looked smug.

 The alpha signed the contract without another word; then he opened his mouth twice before finally asking: “You know, since we just initiated a promising collaboration – how about we go out and celebrate?”

Castiel felt panic creep up on him. Yes, he wanted to. Oh so very much. But he was at work – and getting laid by a client wasn’t exactly company policy. He couldn’t let himself get fired. There were still student loans to pay. And rent and…

“I don’t think that would be a good idea, sir.”

Cas was shocked at his own answer. But Dean did not seem to be irritated. He just gave the omega another once over and then stood without preamble. He said his goodbye and was already on his way to the door, informing Castiel that he would step by at Naomi’s office before he left.

“And you should go home, Castiel.”

The caring tone sent shivers down the omega’s spine. His name had never sounded so wonderful. Like a caress. The moment the alpha closed the door, Castiel felt a pang of regret.

<<>> 

 

After Dean had left, Castiel sat motionless at the table for a long time. He was fully sweating now. His shirt was wet and so were his pants – albeit for different reasons. A part of him still wanted to run after the alpha and beg to take him in any way he pleased. Another – the reasonable? – part of him realized how extremely lucky he got. During the whole conversation, Dean Winchester had not once utilized his condition. He had not even referred to Castiel’s omega status. Had he not seen the flared nostrils and the hungry looks every now and then, Castiel could have been fooled that Mr. Winchester hadn’t even noticed his heat at all.

An alpha so unaffected by the outburst of pheromones of an unmated omega – he’d never heard of it before. Omegas were always told horrible stories of ferocious alphas who took whatever they wanted. Or whomever. And there was nothing the so-called weaker gender could do about it – as an omega in heat could not disobey any alpha and would eventually submit to every command. And thus they could never press charges for rape – as Castiel once had to experience himself.

Which is why he always spent his heat locked up in his apartment. Secure from any alpha.

The omega was put out of his musings when Naomi came back to the room. “So? Everything went well, I hear?” 

“Yes. Mr. Winchester agreed to the plans. We can start next week.”

“Very good. To be honest, I was quite shocked when he wanted to talk to _you_ of all people, but… Castiel? Why are the estimated expenses not signed?” She gestured at a set of papers on the table and the omega turned pale. Mr. Winchester had signed the contract, but Castiel forgot about the additional paperwork. Without this, his superiors wouldn’t be able to set anything into motion the next week. Which meant that the work schedule would be put off from the start.

He apologized profoundly to his boss and ran to his office after promising to take care of it right away. In a short chat with Pamela he found out, that Dean had left almost an hour ago. Castiel had obviously spent a long time just staring at the window in the board room.

“All right. I’ll just drop it in his mailbox on my way home. Then I can send him an email and pick it up at Monday morning or… ”

“Little problem there, sweetie. I was chatting to his assistant earlier. Kevin – sweet guy if a little serious. He told me that Mr. Winchester will be right on his way to his weekend house and stay there until Monday. It’s out in Earie”

>><< 

 

Castiel was soaking.

Before he had gotten into his car, he had already changed his clothes, but during the 40-minute drive to Dean Winchester’s lake-house, he had managed to sweat his shirt through again. And just thinking about the alpha made it worse.

“Just breathe. In. Out. You put the envelope in the mailbox and hurry back to the car. Easy. It’s already dark. No one will notice you. Five seconds and you’re on your way again.”

Castiel drove up the driveway and stopped the car. After a few seconds of merely staring ahead, he picked up the papers and got out.

He could see light on the other side of the house (more a cabin, really). He walked determinedly up to the veranda and towards the mailbox.

“Well, Mr. Novak, this is a surprise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is set in a time frame of only two weeks and there will (probably) be 18 chapters. I plan to post new chapters on Mondays and Thursdays.  
> Please note the trigger warning of past abuse/rape. This is not a dark fic (at least I don’t think so), but poor Castiel has a tragic past and lives in a society that doesn’t treat omegas too kindly. I will not describe Castiel’s experiences explicitly, but it is repeatedly mentioned. Everything between Cas and Dean will be consensual.  
> If the beginning seems super-familiar to you – it might be. I seem to be an unintentional plagiarist and I unconsciously included the setting of this beautiful (and hot!) story I read a couple of years ago: The Weekend Project by narrativeimperative  
> English is not my first language – so please forgive me my mistakes. XD


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On the downside (kind of): We learn a bit more about Castiel’s past; on the upside: there might be smut. Enjoy! (Or so I hope.)

Chapter TWO

Castiel was soaking.

Before he had gotten into his car, he had already changed his clothes, but during the 40-minute drive to Dean Winchester’s lake-house, he had managed to sweat his shirt through again. And just thinking about the alpha made it worse.

“Just breathe. In. Out. You put the envelope in the mailbox and hurry back to the car. Easy. It’s already dark. No one will notice you. Five seconds and you’re on your way again.”

Castiel drove up the driveway and stopped the car. After a few seconds of merely staring ahead, he picked up the papers and got out.

He could see light on the other side of the house (more a cabin, really). He walked determinedly up to the veranda and towards the mailbox.

“Well, Mr. Novak, this is a surprise.”

Castiel froze. Just that voice made him shiver again. Slowly he turned around, envelope in hand. He stood face to face with Dean Winchester aka the most gorgeous alpha mankind has ever seen. He wore only a pair of worn jeans with a red t-shirt that gave a wonderful view on strong arms. The alpha looked a bit surprised, but certainly pleased. For a moment, blue eyes met green until Castiel quickly lowered his gaze.

The omega had trouble breathing, much less could he form words. He tried to calm his nerves with a deep breath. A mistake – now his lungs were full with the delicious scent of his alpha.

Wait, _his_ alpha?

When he realized there would be no reaction from the omega in the near future, Dean strolled slowly towards the smaller man. He smirked. “What brings you here to my private retreat after dark? Are you up for a little celebrating after all?”

“That’s not why… no… I just wanted to bring you some papers I forgot to give you earlier… I didn’t want to disturb you, so I just meant to drop them in your… you need to sign… ” Castiel realized that he probably didn’t make that much sense. That he looked completely dishevelled. But Dean’s gaze stayed quite appreciatively on him.

“Then sign them I must.” Dean’s smirk just got wider as he took the now slightly crumpled papers from Castiel’s hands. “Let’s go inside. Come on, follow me.”

Dean turned around and walked through the door, not bothering to check if the omega was following him.

 Castiel whimpered and for a second he actually considered to just rip his own clothes off and present to the alpha right then and there. It had been just a slight command – the alpha had probably not even noticed it. But to be ordered struck at something profoundly _omega_ in Castiel. As he walked over the threshold he felt like walking into a lion’s den. He just could not decide whether he was more excited or scared about it.

>><< 

 

Castiel’s sexual experiences weren’t vast. And none of them by choice. He grew up in a household full of alphas. His parents had been very traditional. His father was an alpha, who had a good job and provided for the rest of the family. As an omega, his mother’s job was to make her mate happy and care for the kids. She cooked and cleaned and spread her legs any time his father was in the mood. Castiel had only faint memories of her; she was quiet, never spoke up and agreed to anything the head of the family said. And if she didn’t agree fast enough, she had bruises to show for it. The strongest memory Castiel had of his father was him saying _An omega must always obey. Always make her alpha happy_. They both died in a car accident before Castiel presented.

That had left him with four older brothers, three of them alphas. This was highly uncommon – normally parents would be overjoyed to have _one_ alpha pup in a group of five children; since they were by far the rarest of the subgenders. And of course the most superior as Castiel had been told over and over again. All through adolescence, Castiel had been constantly referred to as _the_ _omega_. He had been called _weak_ and _worthless_ on a regular basis. At least Michael, the oldest and most dominant, had insisted that he got a good education and had rarely exerted physical punishment. Probably so Castiel’s value as a possible mate for one of Michael’s associates would not decrease. No damaged goods and all that.

After Castiel had finished school, he wanted to go to college – of course that’s when the real problems with his family started. Legally, omegas were allowed higher education – but it was still rare. Castiel had had someone to help him, though: Gabriel – his beta brother and the only one he felt true affection for – had already finished school at the time and moved away. He supported Castiel in his decision to leave the rest of the family – in other words: to basically run away.

College time for the omega was … lonely, most of the time. He liked the classes well enough and was an ambitioned student, but his social life left a lot to be desired. Talking to others had never felt easy to him and he was wary of any alphas he met. But since he managed to avoid them when he was on his own, he mostly just received crude remarks and occasional gropes.

Until Alastair.

The first time he had met the vicious alpha, Castiel had been in his third year. From the first moment, Alastair had stalked him like a wolf its prey. And Castiel had literally felt like a trapped rabbit – scared and apprehending the worst. For some reason Alastair always knew when his heat would start – even before Castiel did. Alpha instincts. The omega had been so careful to lock himself in – and to this very day he didn’t know how Alastair had gotten the key.

All he knew was that he had lain in his bed, sweating and hurting, fingers up his ass, moaning – and suddenly the alpha stood before him with a horrible smirk on his face. “Now you are my little bitch and you are gonna do as I say. Cause you love to obey, don’t you, omega?”

Four heats were spent like that. After every one, Castiel felt sore, used and ashamed. Alastair would insult him, call him names, hit him – and still Castiel would do everything he was told. He would always present, beg for the alpha’s knot, even made him dinner. Because as an omega in heat he could not disobey an alpha, no matter how much he wanted to.

After Alastair had lost interest, after college, Castiel was adamant to keep away from any and all alphas. Especially when he was near heat.

Until this day – when his heat came three weeks early. When he could not possibly cancel a business meeting. When there was an alpha who should have been a beta.

>><< 

 

Following Dean through the hall, Castiel could not decide which feeling was stronger: Panic (triggered by memories of Alastair) or arousal. In the house, the alpha’s scent was even stronger, surrounding the omega completely, making him want to soak in it. And Castiel had no doubt of what was about to happen. Dean might have been able to withhold himself in an office building full of people, but here in the solitude of his cabin…

Castiel shuddered. And this time he admitted to himself that it was more in anticipation than fear.

To his surprise Dean led him to the kitchen – a spacious area, brightly lit. The alpha still appeared completely casual, leaning against the kitchen counter, pen already in hand while his eyes flew over the papers. How could he be so unaffected while Castiel’s whole body was practically screaming for him?

“So I sign here and then it’s done?” Grinning eyes looked straight at Castiel.

The smaller man’s gaze concentrated on the floor again. Direct eye contact was becoming too much for his overstimulated omega senses. “Yes sir. Then I can drive back home and leave you to your weekend. Just. Please.”

Please? Where had that come from?

Suddenly the atmosphere changed. Dean put pen and papers on the table and slowly prowled towards Castiel, who stood in the middle of the room, gaze submissively fixed on the floor. He came to a halt in touching distance.

“Will you look at me, Cas?” Dean’s voice was gentle. The omega raised his eyes and at the same time he could feel a rivulet of slick run down his cleft. It was all becoming too much for him. The strong alpha scent. That voice. Those beautiful green eyes. He could feel himself give in.

“There is no way I’m going to let you drive home alone right now. You are in no condition to – you’re probably going to crash into the next tree. That leaves you with three options: One – I drive you home, then I come back here and you can get your car whenever you’re … better. Two – you can lock yourself in the guest room and take care of your _situation_ yourself while I go for a _long_ run. I will not bother you, I promise. When the worst sting is off, you might have enough time to drive yourself back to your place. Or – three –” and here Dean leaned in even closer, “you can let me help you.” He took a step back again. “Your choice.”

Castiel tried to process what the alpha had just said. Some part of his conscience registered that he could just leave now, that Dean would let him. But nothing of that seemed to matter with his alpha being this close. And finally – finally! – Cas could see the blatant hunger in the other man’s eyes, in the dominant stance like he was ready to lunge out any second. He could not take it anymore and leaned forwards, plunging his lips on Dean’s.

The alpha’s reaction was imminent – he put his arms around the omega and took control of the kiss, deepening it. He started to lick his tongue against the omega’s lips and eventually mapped out his whole mouth. When they needed to catch a breath, Dean nibbled at his jaw and smirked: “So I’m guessing you pick option number three.”

Castiel could hardly form any coherent thought, his knees had all but given out and his body and mind were completely fixed on the other man’s scent and touch. So he just moaned: “Yes, Alpha, please.”

Dean spun him around, Castiel’s back now pressed against the kitchen counter while the alpha practically growled in his ear: “Good. Because I really _really_ want to fuck you.”

The omega was completely gone. He felt like he had melted – good thing he was trapped between the wooden surface and Dean or else he would have probably just slipped to the floor. He could only feel. Dean’s mouth devouring his. The alpha’s hands, everywhere, roaming up and down his body, while he grasped Dean’s shoulders like a lifeline.

When the alpha grabbed the back of his neck to pull him even closer, Castiel instinctively moved his crotch towards Dean’s and felt the hard bulge in the alpha’s jeans. He moaned loudly, sounding almost desperate. He felt more than heard the appreciative rumble from the stronger man’s chest.

The omega started to let his own hands wander, sliding them under the other man’s shirt, trying to touch as much skin as possible. Dean put firm hands on Castiel’s butt and started kneading his cheeks, making the omega moan again and inducing another flood of slick. By now, his briefs and pants were completely soaked. Castiel could not remember the last time he was this wet – and his heat had just started.

After several minutes – or maybe hours? – of tasting and touching, Dean seemed to decide there were too many clothes on the omega. Without preamble, he practically ripped Castiel’s dress shirt off him.

“We should move this to somewhere more comfortable.” Dean rumbled. He put his hands beneath Castiel’s thighs and picked him up. The omega instinctively wrapped his legs around the alpha’s waist and let himself be carried to the bedroom.

>><< 

 

When Dean pushed him onto his bed, Castiel thought for a moment he had landed in heaven. Here that wonderful scent was everywhere and completely overwhelmed his senses. But he had no time to take in his new surroundings. After the alpha had laid him down on his back, he was already on top of him, exploring his mouth again. Slowly Dean let go of his lips, sucking and nibbling his way down the omega’s throat to the chest.

Meanwhile Castiel tried to tug Dean’s shirt over his head, impatient to touch more skin. The alpha accommodated by throwing the offensive piece of fabric to the floor – and then he abruptly attacked Castiel’s right nipple with his mouth. He licked and sucked until Castiel was mewling and involuntarily moved his hips up.

“Gods, Cas, you are so beautiful. So responsive. Such a good boy for me.” Castiel moaned loudly at the praise. “You like that, baby? You like being good for me?” Castiel only whined, blushing to an even deeper shade. Dean’s hands had wandered from his torso to his lower back. Now he was moving his strong fingers under Castiel’s clothes and started kneading his naked ass. Next thing the omega knew, Dean hooked his fingers in his pants and pulled them off in one swift movement, along with his underwear. Now Castiel was completely exposed.

Dean stood at the end of the bed and took his time admiring the view. Castiel was all naked, a slight film of sweat covering his whole body, tinged in a light shade of pink. His pupils were blown wide and his breathing heavy.

The omega gazed up hungrily. There were definitely too many clothes on the alpha. Castiel stared at the jeans clad crotch like he was trying to simply will the fabric away. The alpha caught on to his thoughts and with a wide smirk, he started to open his belt and slowly pulled the jeans off.

Castiel felt a heat wave catching his whole body. Finally he was able to see the alpha in all his glory – strong arms, broad chest, long legs and the thick cock standing proud against a flat stomach. Just the thought of having that wide length inside him, of being filled with a thick knot, had Castiel leak another gush of slick down his thighs.

In an instant, Castiel was off the bed and on his knees before the alpha. Face leaning towards the other man’s cock.

“Can I…?”

Dean seemed a bit surprised by Castiel’s sudden initiative, but he definitely looked pleased. “Sure, Cas, knock yourself out,” he said with a dirty wink.

There was no finesse in what Castiel did next. He just opened his mouth and tried to get as much of Dean’s cock in as possible, almost gagging.

“Hey, easy there, Cas, this is not a race.”

Castiel just moaned, overwhelmed with the heavy weight against his tongue and the strong scent of alpha arousal right in front of his nose. He started licking and sucking, bobbing his head up and down, still trying to get as much in as possible. Dean stroked his hair gently, moaning a litany of “Feels so good, Cas. Such a good omega.”

Castiel thought he might be able to come there and then, on his knees pleasing his alpha, without even touching himself. The sounds of contentment and the pleased growls coming off Dean made the omega within him preen with joy. Suddenly he felt Dean’s hands pulling him up.

“No, you haven’t …” He tried to get back to his task but the alpha had other ideas.

“I want to come buried inside you. Wouldn’t you rather want my knot in your hole, baby?” Castiel mewled loudly at that and let the alpha push him back onto the bed. He tried to turn around to present, but Dean pressed into him so all he could do was lie still. “Just like that, sweetheart. Don’t move.” With that order, all Castiel could do was lie back and enjoy the other man’s touches.

Like before, the alpha started to lick and kiss his way down Castiel’s throat, pausing at his neck – where a claiming bite would go. He let his teeth scratch lightly over the spot. Castiel tensed abruptly, memories of Alastair’s vicious bites clouding his pleasure. The cruel alpha had always marked him violently. He had already been on strong suppressors back then, however, so Alastair was not able to truly claim him.

Dean noticed his tautness along with the slight scent of fear and looked up immediately. “You don’t like being marked?”

Castiel gulped. _You little slut, it’s your job to please your alpha._ “No, please, I don’t mind.” He murmured, but even he could hear that his words lacked conviction. Dean smiled down at him, warm and open.

“It’s alright, sweetheart, I won’t, if you don’t want me to.” Before Castiel had time to react, Dean started to scatter feather light kisses along his throat and down his chest.

Castiel felt puzzled, he had never experienced someone spending so much time making him feel good. His heat was now so strong that he wanted nothing more than to be filled with a knot – but at the same time he revelled at the tender touches and never wanted it to end. Dean’s hands had wandered down his backside again, stroking and kneading his thighs and butt cheeks.

When Castiel felt a finger play lightly around his rim, his hips nearly shot off the bed. “Please, Alpha, I need…” Dean pushed the first finger inside his hole in circling movements, encouraging more slick to run down Castiel’s cleft. The alpha took his time preparing the omega, working him up to three fingers, drumming lazily in and out. Every now and then he would brush against Castiel’s prostate, having the omega cry out wildly every time.

Castiel was reduced to a moaning mess. All he could do was lie still and nearly drown in pleasure. Suddenly Dean withdrew his fingers and moved away from him, taking the delicious weight off Castiel. Before he could protest, however, Dean had flipped him over. Castiel soon caught on, coming nearly apart at the thought of being properly filled with the alpha’s cock. He scrambled to his hands and knees, head bowed down and ass up as high as his delirious state would allow. He felt his hole flutter, opening and closing around nothing. Then Dean’s hands were on him again. Three fingers already back inside, moving in and out, spreading him.

“No Alpha, stop, I need _you_. Please…”

“Just making sure you are ready for me, baby.” But the alpha withdrew his fingers and Castiel could feel him shift on the bed.

“I _am_ ready. If I am going to be any more ready, I’ll explode!” Castiel had no time to be shocked at his outburst – with a low chuckle Dean finally entered him in one slow relentless move. Castiel let go of a loud moan. This was how he was supposed to be. Filled up with the length of Dean’s cock. His alpha.

After letting Castiel adjust to the wide girth for a moment, Dean started moving. Slowly at first, but soon he sped up and plunged deeply into the omega. The alpha was practically draped over him, one hand on the smaller man’s hips, the other stroking over his head and neck. After some time, Castiel could feel the base of Dean’s cock swell and just at the thought of finally feeling that knot in him, his hands gave out and Castiel landed awkwardly on his elbows.

Dean continued pushing into him; now he made sure to press into Castiel’s sweet spot constantly and just when his knot finally formed, Castiel came with a loud cry.

>><< 

 

He had totally blacked out. When he opened his eyes again, he was lying on his side with Dean spooning up behind him. They were still tied together by the alpha’s knot. Castiel could feel Dean shooting spurts of come inside of him and he mewled at the sensation. The omega was completely blissed out – he had never felt like this before. He was so deliciously full and sated, but at the same time, with the alpha nuzzling at his neck and with those strong arms wrapped around him, he also felt safe, almost revered.

“I know this is a bit late, gorgeous, but you _are_ on bc, right?” Castiel could hear the smile in the alpha’s voice. The question was meant to be humorous not harsh.

The omega involuntarily nuzzled deeper into the embrace and let out a low chuckle. “You are right, it _is_ a tad late.” He shifted his hips slightly, provoking a moan from the alpha and making his knot pulse again. “But yes, since I take PWP/15 I am pretty much on everything.”

He could feel the man behind him twitch, like he was about to say something but then dismissed it.

They lay like this for another twenty minutes. Castiel felt utterly relaxed and nearly dozed off. The stress of the day, leading to such a perfect release, was coming down on him. When his knot finally went down, Dean gently pulled out. He untangled from Castiel and got off the bed. This action had the omega whimper at the sudden loss of the comforting embrace.

“Just a second. I’ll be right back, baby.” With that, the alpha was out of the room.

_Baby_. The alpha had used that word before. And _sweetheart_. Or _gorgeous_.  Castiel rolled on his back and revelled in his lightheaded state of mind. Those were not names he was used to during heat. Or any other time, really. He had also not known that sex could actually be _this_ _good_.

He was blissfully smiling at the ceiling when the alpha returned. Two bottles and a washcloth in hands. He handed the omega both bottles – one water, one orange juice.

“Here, Cas, you need to stay hydrated.”

Castiel put himself up in a sitting position and obediently took the offered beverage. While he drank (nearly both of them), Dean took the washcloth and started cleaning him up. He removed most of the dried slick between Castiel’s thighs as well as a stain of come on his stomach. Castiel blushed deeply at the actions of the alpha, but he marvelled too much at the feeling of someone taking care of him – so he didn’t even try to protest.

After they were both finished, Dean crawled back on the bed. He tugged the omega to his side, head resting on the alpha’s chest, and pulled the comforter over both of them.

“We should get some sleep. As long as we can.” His voice was full of warmth.

And that is how Castiel fell asleep – with strong arms around him and the comforting scent of pleased alpha filling his senses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you on Monday!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter THREE

The first thing Castiel noticed was how content he was. He could not remember the last time he had felt so relaxed and sated. Or if he ever had. After opening his eyes, confusion mixed in with his happiness. For a few seconds, he wasn’t able to figure out where he was. He lied in a comfortable bed that held the most heavenly scent. Daylight licked trough the blinds and left the view open to a rather small room, scarcely furnished in dark wood.

Castiel turned around on the bed, wincing slightly. His lower back felt rather stiff. And just like that, memories of the last day – and more importantly the last night – came rushing over him.

His alpha had taken such good care of him. Three times had Dean filled him during the night – the last time he had pulled out before his knot could fully form. So Castiel would not be too sore in the morning, he had said. The omega let his hands wander on the bed, searching for the alpha, who had been wrapped around him the whole night. But he was alone in the broad bed. Where Dean should have been, lay a pair of sweatpants, boxers and a plain shirt.

Castiel grabbed the clothes and made his way to the bathroom. Last night, Dean had supplied him with a toothbrush, towels and other cleaning devices and now Castiel treated himself with a quick hot shower. He could not believe he felt so good – never before had he been so alert during a heat. He knew it was far from over, but for the time being he felt neither delirious nor lust-driven. He _had_ read that it could be like this when a heat was spent with a considerate alpha, but with his experiences he had never truly believed it.

After he had put on the borrowed clothes, he eyed himself in the mirror. He was most surprised to see the small smile that ghosted around his lips. Then his gaze locked on his neck, his hands following rapidly. There were no bite marks. Not even the slightest scratch.

Castiel shivered. He had never heard of an alpha holding back their mark with an omega in heat. And yet, Dean had. Just because he had felt Castiel tense up for a moment. When an alpha knotted an unmated omega, it was pure instinct to bite, to stake their claim. These days, most omegas took inhibitors to prevent being _actually_ claimed against their will. That way, when an alpha bit them during sex, it would only leave a mark, lasting for a couple of days.

If an omega was in heat – and did not take any medication – a bite while being tied would lay an eternal claim on said omega. They would be bonded as mates and the mark would stay perpetually. For an alpha, this did not entail that many consequences since alphas could break the bond if they chose to and move on or even be mated to various omegas at the same time. But for the omega, a bond was unbreakable. They would always crave attention from their mate, always want to see them happy, and in heat they would always lust for their alpha and no other. Omegas who have been left by their mates tended to get depressed and everyone knew they never had a long lifespan; especially when they didn’t have any children to look after.

Castiel took a deep breath – he had no reason to be afraid of accidental claiming. He was on the strongest suppressors pharmacy ever came up with. With one weekly pill, he dampened his scent (at a distance he could even go by as a beta and thus be not harassed as much), deferred his heat to only once a year (and not having to call in sick every 6-8 weeks), prevented getting pregnant or being accidentally claimed by an alpha. Of course, there were downsides to the medication such as heavy migraines, emotional and mental stress and after a while your chances of getting with child became pretty slim. Newer studies also indicated an increased risk for brain cancer if you took the medication for an extended period. 

But thinking about his time with Alastair, Castiel could very well live with those side effects.

>><< 

 

When Castiel walked down the stairs, the giddiness he was feeling since waking up slowly gave way to nervousness. No matter how wonderful last night had been for him – he was still alone in the house with an alpha he had known for less than 24 hours. Maybe Dean had lost interest. Maybe he hadn’t enjoyed their mating as much as Castiel had. Maybe he wanted him to leave right away. Coming to think of it, he had not behaved like an omega should. Dean had spent so much time pleasing _him_ and taking care of _him_ – but it should have been the other way around. The omega’s steps slowed down considerably.

He heard some clattering from the kitchen and followed the sound. Bracing himself inwardly for an irate alpha, he stepped over the threshold.

The sight before him made his heart stand still for a second.

On the table was laid out the most delicious looking breakfast with coffee, juice, pancakes, scrambled eggs and toast. But what really took his breath away was Dean, standing at the stove, spatula in hand, keeping an eye on the bacon. He looked breath-taking. Barefoot, dressed only in jeans and a t-shirt, he was even more handsome than he had been when they first met in the board room.

Castiel could clearly see when Dean noticed his presence; his shoulders tensed slightly and his nostrils flared. Then he turned fully around with the most disarming smile on his lips.

“Good morning, sleepyhead, you are right on time.” He walked towards the omega, spatula in one hand, pan in the other. When he stopped before Castiel, he leaned down and inhaled deeply at the crook of the omega’s neck, then planted a chaste kiss on his lips. Castiel took a deep breath of his own, letting the wonderful scent of the alpha calm his nerves.

“Good morning. Alpha.” He added hesitantly. He did not know how to address Dean. _Mr_. _Winchester_ seemed a little formal, considering their situation. Last night during their mating he had called him _alpha_ – and some expected that title to be used constantly by the `weaker gender`.

“ _Dean_ will be fine.” He put the pan on the already set table. “Now, let’s have breakfast. I don’t know about you, but I am famished.” Dean took a seat and Castiel placed himself next to the alpha. He looked at the table with big eyes.

“You made all this?”

“Sure. After last night, I think we need to refuel quite a bit.” He answered with a wink and started to load his plate full. Hesitantly, Castiel followed suit. Dean noticed his reluctance and cocked an eyebrow at him.

“I am sorry, Dean. It’s just … I have never seen an alpha cook before.”

“Yeah well… I quite like it. I had to learn it when I was a kid – or else my little brother and I would have lived on Chocolate Charms alone. And now I indulge myself whenever I find the time.”

Castiel shyly started to eat and at the first bite he could hardly hold back a moan. He wasn’t sure if those were actually the best scrambled eggs on toast he ever ate or if he was just so famished that everything would have tasted like heaven.

“It’s delicious, Dean. Thank you.”

After they had eaten in quiet for a while, Castiel picked up on something Dean had said earlier. “So, you have a brother? Does he live nearby?” Castiel wondered at his attempt to start a conversation, but there was something about the alpha that made him feel completely at ease. It was probably Dean’s scent – all relaxed and content. He didn’t seem to be perturbed that there was a strange omega at his kitchen table without warning. Maybe this was just every other Saturday for him. Needy omegas knocking at his door, begging him for release…

“Yeah, Sammy.” On Dean’s lips played a warm smile. It was obvious he cared about his little brother a great deal. “He is a lawyer, works at AMC. He lives in the city just about 10 minutes from my apartment – so he can get on my nerves any time.” There was no edge in the alpha’s voice; more like a playfulness that suggested the siblings were teasing each other quite often. Castiel knew that kind of tone from his brother, Gabriel.

“Must be nice, to be so close to each other.”

“Yes, I guess. We have lost both parents so we _are_ pretty close. He is the only family I have left. Well, by blood, that is.” Castiel did not really know what to make of that last comment. “What about you, Cas?”

Castiel felt rather self-conscious. “I… my parents died in an accident before I presented. But I have four older brothers.”

“Four? Can you please tell Sammy, if you ever meet him? Cause he thinks _I_ am already overbearing.” The alpha grinned widely, but he sobered up when he noticed the serious look on Castiel’s face.

“My three oldest brothers and I … we never really got along.” He didn’t mention how they had a very different view on how an omega should behave. “But Gabriel, who is next to me in age – we are quite close. He lives in Ehrfield so, unfortunately, we manage to meet only about every other month. But he is considering to start his own business here in Sanddorn.” At that thought, a small smile tugged on the omega’s lips. His life here was quite lonely, he mostly concentrated on work and his beloved books; he had no family of his own and only two friends, who he rarely met. But Gabriel had always been successful at getting him out of his shell.

They talked about their brothers for a while, even after they had finished breakfast. Dean made Castiel laugh on numerous occasions with stories of his childhood. Castiel got the impression that the Winchester brothers had been quite adventurous, probably even more so than Gabriel.

He still wondered how at ease he felt. He shared memories of his own childhood – the time before he presented, when the world had held no expectations. It felt strange; he could not remember ever having an amiable conversation with an alpha. To be honest, he normally tried to keep out of any alpha’s way – but when he could not circumvent interacting with one, he always had the feeling of being considered more of an object than a person. Or rather a tool for sexual relief. Alphas would often start to prance around an omega, showing off their dominance at every occasion. But Dean never referred to Castiel’s secondary gender in any way.

>><< 

 

After some time, Castiel could feel his heat flare up again. There was a tingling feeling in his stomach and when Dean laughed at a prank he pulled on his brother – full body movement with his head thrown back – Castiel felt a slight amount of slick drop out of his hole. The clothes suddenly felt too hot on his skin and he squirmed awkwardly.

Dean noticed the different scent coming off Castiel, the push-out of pheromones setting his own body on alert as well. He stood and put the rest of their breakfast in the fridge. As he started putting the dirty dishes in the sink, the omega rushed to help him clean the table. Dean began rinsing water over the plates and cups; Castiel hurriedly tried to pull him to the side. “No, please, let me. You already made breakfast. Let me clean up.”

Dean took a step to the side “Okay, how about you wash and I towel.”

It took not much time to clean the dishes, but by the end of it Castiel had soaked his pants. Dean put gentle touches on him the whole time. He let their fingers meet when he took a plate from Castiel; he brushed his neck or arms occasionally; once he leaned forward and kissed his nape. Castiel revelled in these gentle touches. They aroused him and kept him grounded at the same time.

When they were finally done, the alpha pulled Castiel in an embrace, kissing him deeply but without haste. He started slowly, movements almost lazy; until suddenly, with a low growl, Dean took control of the omega’s mouth and thereby the rest of his body. Castiel could feel a large sip of slick running down his cleft and he mewled lowly, needing more than just a kiss from his alpha. Dean let his hands wander down to the omega’s ass and he started kneading the flesh above the clothes. With that he pulled their groins together, causing both men to moan.

“Please, Alpha,… tell me…”

“What, gorgeous, what do you want to hear?”

“Tell me what to _do_. Please. I want to…” Castiel stumbled over his own words. He wanted to please the alpha. He wanted to submit to him. It surprised him, since he had always felt repulsed by the thought of mindlessly obeying an alpha – even when he was in heat – he had always been scared of the mere thought. But now, with Dean, things were different. He didn’t know why, but he _trusted_ Dean. And he wanted to make him feel good.

“You want to be a good omega for me, yes?” Castiel led out a high pitched mewl. “Want to be a good boy? All right, Cas.”

Dean stepped away from him which was not at all what Castiel had hoped for. The alpha gazed at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Strip for me, baby.”

Castiel flushed deeply, but he did not hesitate to follow the order. He pulled the shirt over his head and without pause he got rid of the too big pants and boxers in one go. He hung all items over the chair next to him. For a few moments, he stood there in the middle of the room, stark naked, and waited for Dean to move forward. But the alpha just stood there and let his eyes wander up and down the naked skin like he wanted to memorize every detail.

Slowly, he started to walk around the omega, practically prowling, looking at him from every angle. Castiel felt more and more self-conscious. Last night, there had been only a small lamp in the bedroom. But now, in broad daylight in the middle of the kitchen – there was no chance to hide anything. He tried not to tremble too much, since Dean obviously enjoyed the opportunity to admire his omega.

“Now it’s my turn, gorgeous, undress me.”

Castiel hurried to comply, happy at the prospect of seeing more of that beautiful body. But he took more time with Dean´s clothes than his own, relishing in every inch of skin he got to see. After he had taken Dean’s shirt off, he opened the belt and fly of the taller man’s jeans. Castiel’s fingers trembled as he noticed the alpha was going commando and his wonderful cock was already erect. Dean just stood there, doing nothing to help or hinder the omega. When Castiel hunkered down to take the trousers off, Dean stepped out of them complaisantly.

Now it was Castiel’s turn to stare and he fully savoured the opportunity. As much as the alpha was perfect from head to toe though, Castiel’s gaze always went back to the cock. His hole started twitching at the memory of that wide length filling him up. At that thought, more slick ran out of Castiel’s cleft.

Suddenly Dean pulled a chair to the middle of the room and snagged a pillow from the bench. He seated himself on the chair and spread his legs casually in an all macho posture – completely at ease with his naked state. He let the pillow fall between his feet and looked expectantly at Castiel. Of course, this was all it took for Castiel to scramble to his knees.

Unlike last night, this time Castiel did not try to rush things. He breathed in deeply, letting the alpha’s arousal overwhelm his senses and rubbed his cheek along the thick cock. Dean rumbled appreciatively. Then Castiel opened his mouth and took him in, slowly, inch by inch.

He did not know how long he spent like this, licking and sucking while a stream of slick had pooled down on the pillow, Dean’s hands running through his hair all the while. But he felt like he was ready to burst and he could come just from the slightest stimulation.

“Touch yourself, baby. Come on, stroke your dick,” Dean grunted out. Castiel hesitated; he was afraid that he might come from the lightest pressure on his cock. But of course he obeyed and tried to concentrate only on Dean, tried to reign himself in. But the alpha pulled gently at his head, away from the magnificent weight. Castiel whined at the loss, but Dean just asked: “Are you ready to come, gorgeous?” All Castiel could do was nod deliriously. “Good. Then finish yourself off.”

It took Castiel not even a second to follow through. He had already been so close, just a light twist on the head and he was gone, still kneeling between Dean’s legs.

When he could form a coherent thought again, he was sitting back on his heels on the pillow – and he remembered that his alpha had not finished. As he looked up, he noticed Dean had taken matters into his own hands – literally – and was pumping up and down his cock, still wet from Castiel’s saliva. He wanted to get back at it, to please his alpha like a good omega should, but one look from Dean had him sit back down and just watch.

Castiel could see Dean was about done, his movements speeding up, eyes still locked with the omega´s. Finally, the alpha shot his load into his own hand while the other was gripping at the base of his cock. Castiel felt like he could come again, just watching. He had not known that this could turn him on so much.

Suddenly Dean leaned forward and pulled Castiel up onto his lap, kissing him almost ferociously. Castiel felt the alpha’s hands firm on his chest and nearly collapsed when he noticed what the man was doing. Dean spread his own come on Castiel’s torso and massaged it deeply into the smaller man’s flesh. Castiel moaned and let his head fall to the other man’s neck, inhaling deeply. It looked like Dean had found a way to mark him regardless. And Castiel loved it. He let himself sink completely in the other man’s hold since there was really nothing else he could do. Dean stroked Castiel’s back, up and down, from his shoulders to his thighs.

After a couple of minutes, Castiel had become quite drowsy. Dean stood, not letting go of the omega and carried him out of the kitchen and up to his bedroom again. He put Castiel on the bed, and then turned around to take some clothes out of the closet.

“Oh no, not _clothes_ again.” Castiel all but whined, causing Dean to chuckle.

“They are not for you, baby, just for me.” In Castiel’s head, this didn’t make it any better. Already half-dressed Dean stepped to the bed and pressed a light kiss to the omega’s temple. “I’d like for you to stay here and rest while I’ll be out for a while and take care of some things.”

“What kind of things?” Castiel visibly twitched, shocked at his own query. He remembered his mother never questioned his father – and when she did, all she got was a forceful punch.

But Dean did not notice what was going on in the omega’s head, answering nonchalantly: “Well, mostly, I need to pick up some food. To keep us invigorated.” There it was again, that boyish smirk. He walked to the door, adding over his shoulder: “Now why don’t you just take a nap. I’ll be back in less than two hours.”

“Promise?” Castiel heard himself whisper to his own surprise. It was so hushed, he didn’t think Dean could have heard him. But the alpha spun around and kissed him quickly, yet deeply.

“Definitely.” He winked.

>><< 

 

Castiel had been so exhausted, he was dozing off before Dean even left the house. When he opened his eyes again, he was blinded by the bright light flooding the small room. One quick glance at the watch told him he had been out for about one and a half hours. Maybe he had even managed to sleep until Dean’s return.

After he stretched on the bed lazily, he walked to the bathroom. One look in the mirror told him the soppy look on his face was still in place. Normally after 24 hours in heat, Castiel would have dark circles around the eyes along with vigorous pain in his lower regions, because he was not filled properly and a fake knot could only do so much. Or in his time with Alastair – he would be hurting even worse.

But Castiel pushed all memories aside forcefully. He was not letting the past push down on his current happiness. He considered taking another shower – the constant sweating and slick-production made him feel quite icky. But then he remembered how Dean had rubbed his come over his chest and he could not bring himself to wash it off. So he decided to quickly clean up with just a washcloth, anxiously avoiding his chest.

For a moment, he imagined himself walking through the centre of Sanddorn right now (clothed, mind you) – everyone would be able to scent Dean Winchester on him from a mile away. He could walk freely through the streets, knowing no one would even try to lay a hand on him. Not when he had been marked by such a dominant alpha. He let himself indulge in his daydream for a while, not listening to the tiny voice in his mind that tried to tell him that he wasn’t a fan of this _possessive alpha crap_. Not to mention that this scenario with a come-covered chest was actually quite gross.

When he heard someone in the house, Castiel pulled on some boxer-briefs Dean had laid out for him and hurried down the stairs. As he reached the hall though, he did not face Dean but an elderly stranger.

“Hello there, kid.”

The man was wearing washed-out clothes and a baseball cap that looked like he had worn it every day for the past 40 years. And he was an alpha. Castiel panicked. Why was a strange alpha in Dean’s house? For a second the omega considered Dean had sent him here to _keep the omega company_. Like Alastair had always threatened. _You are insatiable, aren’t you? I bet I could just invite the whole football team to take a ride on you._

Castiel tried to calm himself down. He didn’t really believe that. Dean wouldn’t do this to him. And with Dean’s scent so heavily on him, the stranger might just leave. He was clearly no match for _his_ alpha.

“My name is Bobby. I am a friend of Dean’s.”

Castiel just stared at him, eyes wide, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

“Relax, kid, I am not gonna hurt you. And I am way too old to get myself in a claiming fight.” The alpha didn’t move other than to hold his hands up in a gesture of benevolence. “Is Dean around?”

Fear flared up in Castiel again. Was this a trick question? Maybe he just wanted to find out whether the omega was alone.

“Look, son, I just wanted to bring Dean his special brake pads. I’m gonna leave them in the garage and you can tell the boy later, that Bobby came by. All right?” He started through the hall in the direction where Castiel supposed lay the garage.

At the very same time the front door opened again. Before the omega could even blink, Dean was at his side pulling him firmly behind. The younger alpha bared his teeth at the stranger and growled threateningly. Castiel could imagine what had him so riled up. He came back home to find another alpha in the house and his omega – virtually naked – emitted a sharp scent of distress. Castiel grew even more uncomfortable; he did not want to get stuck in the middle of a testosterone-fuelled dominance fight.

But the older alpha surprised him again. He didn’t react to his opponent in any physical way; not even his shoulders tensed up. Instead he said roughly: “Oh calm down, boy. Do I look like I’m about to steal your omega away?”

Dean blinked a few times like he had lost orientation for a moment.  “Bobby. I am so sorry. I guess I kind of got carried away.” He flashed an apologetic smile and took a few steps towards this _Bobby_.

The older man still looked gruff, but he didn’t seem to be mad about the harsh greeting. “Now, who is your guest?”

Dean held his hand out to Castiel. “This is Castiel. Cas, meet Bobby who has been like a father for me and Sammy ever since I can remember.” At those words, for just a moment, the older man looked almost friendly.

“Well, hello, Castiel, nice to meet you. I didn’t mean to frighten you just now.”

Obviously, the omega was the only one in the room bothered by his state of undress. On the other hand, seeing both alphas acting so amiably with each other, he finally calmed down. “Oh no, I am sorry. I fear I have been quite rude.”

“No hard feelings. An omega in heat can’t be vigilant enough, I guess.” Castiel was relieved that this alpha, who obviously was very close to Dean, did not resent him. It was odd, how important it was to him to leave a good impression on a friend of Dean’s.

“Well, son, like I’ve just been telling Castiel here: I brought you these special brake pads for your baby. I’ll just leave them in the garage and be on my way. So you two can continue with whatever it is you kids do these days.”  Again, the alpha started towards the door.

“Thanks, Bobby. And it’s called mind-blowing sex. You should try it some time.”

Castiel gasped loudly at Dean’s words. But the older man just mumbled: “Yeah yeah… see you on Thursday.” And he was out of the door.

Dean was right in Castiel’s personal space again, letting his hands settle lightly on the omega’s waist. Castiel’s knees were still a bit weak after Dean’s furious display of dominance. Omega instincts ready to submit. The way Dean nipped lightly at his neck and then inhaled deeply did not do anything to help him feel more collected.

“I am sorry about that. I did not expect Bobby to come by. And he has a key, so he never knocks. No manners, that old grump.” Dean chuckled lightly, but Castiel could see that the alpha was worried.

“It’s all right, really. I was just surprised. I didn’t quite plan to run into a strange alpha while being nearly naked.” He tried at a light tone and he could feel Dean’s mood brighten considerably.

“Yeah, I fear I’ll have to insist that I am the only alpha you plan on running into. Naked.” He sucked lightly at Castiel’s neck for a moment then he leaned back up again. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I’ve brought the summit of culinary delight. Pizza.”

Castiel followed the alpha, grinning widely. He had no idea how Dean did it. One second he was all commanding alpha sex god, the next he looked like a schoolboy full of mischief. Not to mention that Castiel had also seen his caring side and just now he got a peak at the ferocious wolf looming under that wonderfully dominant alpha scent.

>><< 

 

Another thing Castiel learned about Dean: He ate a lot. The alpha had brought two gigantic pizzas and already ate about one and a quarter – while Castiel felt full after two pieces.

 “You sure, you’re already done, Cas? Maybe you should try just another tiny piece. You know, keep your strength up.”

For the first time in two days, Castiel consciously noticed how careful Dean was in his phrasing. Outside of their love-making, the alpha was prudent to never give a direct order towards the omega. And Castiel was enormously grateful for that. Dean also seemed to be constantly worried that Castiel had enough to eat and drink. The omega nibbled at another piece of pizza and felt a rush of warmth forming in his stomach at the thankful smile from the alpha.

“So, what do you need the brake pads for? And who exactly is your _baby_?” Castiel would never admit it aloud, but he had felt a sting of jealousy at the term. The alpha had called _him_ baby on multiple occasions by now. He did not like the competition. If the wicked grin in Dean’s eyes was any indication, he was not hiding his feelings that well.

“My car. She is a real beauty. I was planning to fix her up a bit this weekend.”

“Oh.” Castiel said noncommittally. In the nearly 24 hours he spent now in Dean’s cabin, he had never thought about the fact that he had basically burst in on Dean unannounced. Of course, the alpha had made plans for this weekend.

“I am so sorry, Dean.” The alpha cocked an eyebrow at him. “For stumbling in on you like that. Maybe I should just… Of course you have better things to do than…” The omega actually tried to stand. Without knowing what he was about to do. And why was he stuttering again?

“…than you?” The alpha smirked at the cheesy line and leaned closer to Castiel. A firm hand on his thigh holding him to his chair. “I assure you, Cas, that whatever plans I had for this weekend – having magnificent sex with a gorgeous omega trumps it all.” He pecked Castiel quickly on the lips. “So, what would you like to do now – until our hormones get the best of us again, that is?”

Castiel blushed. It was funny – despite what had happened between them already, despite how he had moaned and whined on the alpha’s knot, he still coloured every time Dean said something flirtatious.

“Maybe you… maybe we could work on your car anyway? I mean, I don’t know anything about cars, but I could like… hold things?”

He had made the right decision. The way Dean’s face lit up at the idea – it would be worth hours of mindless tool-holding.

>><< 

 

As it turned out it was not boring at all. Dean had parked his – admittedly beautiful – car in front of the cabin. The weather was warm for early spring and the lonely scenery with the small lake in the background made it near perfect. And then there was Dean. Working on the car.

Castiel had never had any interest in any form of vehicle, but as it turned out: men, _working_ on said vehicles, were amazing. He could not get enough of it – he didn’t know what was more arousing. Dean’s concentrated look. Dean bending slightly over the hood. His strong hands. The small specks of grease on his biceps. And every now and then Dean touched the omega almost absentmindedly.

All in all, Castiel enjoyed car maintenance greatly. Even though he did not understand any of the things Dean was saying – but then again, he was content to just hear that deep and calming voice.

“You know, sometime I could take you on a little road trip with her.”

Castiel’s already wandering mind put itself completely into fantasizing-mode. He saw himself driving around with Dean. Spending his next heat with him. Having more wonderful breakfasts and laughs.

Waking up, wrapped around his mate.

Castiel put an abrupt halt to this daydreaming. They were not mates. Dean would never want to mate someone like him – he was gorgeous and successful and ridiculously dominant. He could quite literally have _anyone_. And Castiel himself had spent all his life trying to avoid mating! Mated omegas were completely dependent on their alphas. More often than not, they stayed at home, submitting to every whim.

But he could not deny that a part of him enjoyed the notion of being bonded to such a wonderful man.

>><< 

 

Even though Castiel had been very aroused during the whole sexy-man-working-on-machine-situation, he managed to hold himself back miraculously. The constant light touches of Dean and the calming scent kept him grounded and relaxed – so he was not completely delirious for all of the 65 hours his heat normally took. Of course, he knew that the mere presence of an alpha could take away some of the sting – but after nearly 15 years of suffering alone or with a sadistic bastard, this was completely new territory for him.

Dean insisted on making dinner, while Castiel was to rest again and he had to admit that he was feeling groggy. Moreover, he imagined he would not be getting any more sleep tonight than the one before. How Dean managed to stay up, he didn’t know. Maybe it was true that sex just invigorated alphas.

The cheeseburgers with home-made fries were absolutely delicious and Dean seemed rather proud at the gusto Castiel showed. Just like breakfast, at the end of their meal Castiel was leaking again. And just like breakfast, both men cleaned the dishes together. But now, every time Dean touched him in any way – just the slightest brushing of fingers – Castiel let out a tiny whimper.

Until– _thankgodfinally_ – the alpha took him back to the bedroom.

>><< 

 

That night, Castiel had been filled by Dean’s knot three times already. The last time they had been linked together for almost an hour. Castiel had not thought it was humanly possible for a knot to stay up that long.

But it still wasn’t enough. He had dozed off for about 30 minutes. When he woke up again, he was rubbing his ass desperately against Dean’s crotch. Luckily Dean’s recovering time was as short as his own. The alpha was spooned behind the omega and slowly started to rub his thump around the rim, teasing. This action encouraged a new flood of slick to pool out of Castiel’s hole.

“Gods, baby, how can you still be so wet and tight.” Castiel tried to push against the fingers, tried to get anything into his hole.

Dean growled loudly and rolled Castiel over roughly. The omega started to scramble up to present, but Dean held him down. “No. On your stomach. Lie still.” Then the alpha started to scratch his teeth lightly along Castiel’s back, hands roaming up and down. Sometimes he would stop to kiss or lick a spot he seemed to like for whatever reason. When he sucked on a spot right above his behind, the omega let out a loud moan and his whole body twitched. Dean did it again and received the same reaction.

“You like that?” Naturally, Dean worshipped that spot with his lips, tongue and teeth for a short eternity. When he started to massage the round mounds of the omega’s ass simultaneously, letting one finger be pulled into the hole from time to time, Castiel was screaming unashamedly, tears running down his face.

“Please, Alpha. I can’t take it anymore,” he mewled.

“Oh, you can take it.” With that, the alpha let his mouth wander down and he started to suck at the hole, his tongue and fingers now working in tandem. And Castiel could do nothing than lie there on his stomach, arms and legs spread like the alpha had arranged him. After what felt like hours, Dean slowly pushed his length into him and started rocking.

Like he had the three times before, Castiel came after Dean had started to systematically hit his prostate. He was nearly unconscious when he felt Dean pull out of him, hands on the base of his own cock. Castiel registered what the alpha was doing and started to whine. “No, Alpha, please. I want your knot.”

“Baby, you are already over-stimulated and you will be sore as it is. If I knot you again, you will be really hurting tomorrow.”

Castiel felt desperate. He pushed his ass up as far as their positions would allow. “I don’t care. I want it. I need it.” He reached behind himself and tried to pull Dean back towards him. The sight was obviously too much for the alpha.

“Fuck!” Dean exclaimed and with one harsh push he was buried inside the omega again and his knot locked them together instantly.

“Thank you, Dean,” Castiel sighed.  

Dean moved and took Castiel carefully with him. The omega now lay in an awkward position half on top of the alpha and fell in a deep sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter FOUR

 

The next morning, Castiel had no trouble figuring out where he was even before he opened his eyes. He lay on his side, facing his alpha, and was practically glued to the broad chest. His nose was pressed to the crook of Dean’s neck where his scent was the strongest.

This was heaven.

From the soft strokes on his back he could tell that Dean was already awake. He contemplated for a moment to pretend to be still asleep, but obviously the alpha wouldn’t be fooled that easily.

“Good morning, gorgeous.”

Castiel mumbled something incomprehensible and tried to slide even deeper into the alpha, who let out a low chuckle. After a few more minutes, he gave up, opened his eyes warily and made another attempt at speech.

“Good morning, Dean.” The answering smile made the effort totally worth it.

Castiel slowly turned himself on his back and stretched. He let out a harsh hiss when he felt a sudden sting of pain in his lower back.

“I am so sorry, sweetheart.” Castiel noticed the concerned look on the alpha´s face, but he could not contemplate why.

“For what?” He asked confused, voice still hoarse with sleep.

“I should have held back. I should never have tied you four times in a row.”

Oh.

Now the actions of last night came rushing back to Castiel. Most of the night, Castiel had spent on the alpha’s knot. He also remembered how he had begged Dean to fill him again and again. Castiel flushed heavily.

“I have been consistently begging you for your knot. So I don’t think you should be the one apologizing.”

“But you were on the peak of your heat. That leaves me to act like the responsible one.” Castiel was puzzled yet again. Dean truly seemed to be appalled by the thought that he might have hurt the omega. This was not what he had expected. _Don’t whine now, slut. That’s what you get for begging me like the proverbial bitch in heat._

“But you are an alpha. And I am an omega in heat … it’s pure instinct to knot me. You couldn’t help it.” Or so Castiel had always been taught. That all alphas reacted strongly to omegas and every fibre of their body was imprinted to _claim_ and _breed_.

“This is a whole crap-load of bullshit and I hope you know that.” Castiel looked up at the alpha, obviously confused. “Even with an omega in heat, every alpha is still able to reign in their instincts. Those who don’t, they just don’t want to. Never ever listen to those dickheads.” He leaned forwards and licked lightly at Castiel’s throat. “Now, I am not saying that the scent of an omega in heat is not enticing.” He sucked gently at the neck. “But I can stop anytime you want me to.” Judging by the omega’s low moan, that time was still far away. “So again, I am sorry.”

“Well, I definitely did not want you to stop anything last night.” Castiel stretched again, this time he was prepared for the sting. “Besides, I quite like it.” Dean cocked an eyebrow at him and Castiel just smiled, realizing how true his words were. “I mean it.” He stretched again, just for show. “It’s like I can still feel you inside of me.”

Before he could even blink, Castiel had an alpha on top of him, covering his whole body while his mouth got savaged. The possessive rumble Dean let out went straight to his neither regions. When the alpha noticed Castiel’s flaring arousal, he pulled back. He handed the omega a bottle of water that seemed to have just magically appeared on the bedside table.

“None of that now. We should eat. You need to hydrate again. But before that…” Dean was suddenly off the bed and in the bathroom.

For a couple of minutes, Castiel could hear Dean rummaging in the adjoined room. He was obviously taking a quick shower and when he came out (in only a pair of jeans, hair dripping slightly and all in all looking like a Greek god) Castiel was surprised that he could still hear water running. Without another word, Dean threw him over his shoulder, hand casually on his behind, and carried him to the bathroom – where the bathtub was already half filled with wonderful warm water.

“Take your time. I want to see those fingers wrinkled.”

The alpha was gone again and Castiel indulged in a long relaxing bath that did wonders to his stiff body.

>><< 

 

After another extensive breakfast, the two men curled up around each other on the couch in the small living room. Dean proposed to just watch a movie – especially since the weather had worsened since the day before. He let Castiel pick and was shocked – utterly _shocked_ – at Castiel’s vast ignorance of pop-culture.

Finally, Castiel picked out _Sherlock_ since he liked the books so much and wondered how the stories would work in a contemporary setting. After the first episode (which Castiel enjoyed _immensely_ ) Dean suddenly asked: “Have you already called in sick for Monday? Or do you have to wait until tomorrow?”

“Well…” Castiel stuttered, blushing slightly. “My heat should be calmed down in about twelve hours. So there is no reason for me to call in.”

“But you get four days off for each heat, don’t you? Three days heat plus one day recovering. That is the recommended period, right? Considering you are under strong medication and unmated, it should actually be more like a week. _And_ you have been at work on your first day!” He looked truly dismayed at the idea of Castiel going back to the office tomorrow.

“It may be recommended as you put it, but most companies don’t really support this rule. I mean, do _your_ omega employees actually take off _four_ whole days each heat?”

“Of course.” Dean said it with such conviction that it was now Castiel’s turn to look shocked. But before this could end up in an argument about omega labour rights, Dean went on. “Come on, Cas, when was the last time you called in sick? Just one day. They can’t be that strict to not grant you _one_ day.”

It might have to do with his heat, but he could not deny Dean. And another day in bed sounded nothing but delightful at this moment. The alpha was right, Castiel never called in sick. Mostly because he felt, as an omega every weakness you showed would instantly be exaggerated.

“Fine. I’ll text them right now.”

Dean looked relieved, and Castiel struggled with that. The way Dean always tried to take care of him and seemed to be sincerely worried completely knocked him over. So much so that sometimes he did not know how to behave around the alpha. He was used to alphas expecting him to grovel and bare at any time, yet Dean never ordered him around. The alpha obviously enjoyed some traditional role allocation during their matings – but there was always a certain playfulness to it. He was considerate of Castiel and he had never done anything that the omega was not completely consenting to. When he asked him a question, Dean obviously wanted to hear an honest answer and he had not yet been irritated by the omega’s own queries. On the contrary, he seemed rather pleased with the man’s curiosity in his life.

>><< 

 

Castiel sent e-mails to his boss and her assistant while Dean started the next episode. After only a couple of minutes, Castiel began skittering around a bit. He unconsciously tried to rub his butt at Dean’s crotch, but the alpha moved away and laid Castiel on his back on the couch, settling between the omega’s knees. Slowly he pulled the boxers off and started to stroke the man’s cock languidly. The alpha let his finger play around the omega’s rim; he used the pooling slick to lube up Castiel’s balls and cock. As Castiel started to writhe under him, Dean paused the movie and fully concentrated on the omega beneath.

After a few more minutes of gentle strokes, Dean bowed down and started to lick at the other man´s cock.

Castiel nearly jumped off the couch. “No! No, Dean, you can’t. You can’t! Alpha!” He pulled lightly at Dean’s hair.

The alpha, however, seemed to be unaffected by Castiel’s obvious astonishment. “O shut up, Cas.” And with that he completely swallowed the small cock down. His tongue was doing all kinds of clever things that had Castiel moaning and thrusting. After a while Dean’s hands were on his balls again and he started to massage a spot behind that had Castiel see stars.

“Stop, Dean! I can’t… I’m going to…” But Dean just sucked harder and when the omega finally came in his mouth, he simply swallowed the dram of ejaculate.

After that, Dean scattered light kisses over Castiel’s body, working his way upwards across the chest to the throat. All the while the omega just breathed heavily and repeated a mantra of “Oh my God”. Finally, the alpha kissed Castiel deeply on the mouth, causing another round of moans when the omega could taste himself on the man’s tongue.

 By the time Dean finally pulled away, Castiel had found enough words try to to speak again. “But you are an _alpha_. You should not do … _that_.”

“Says who?” The alpha seemed to be rather amused by Castiel’s outburst.

“ _Everyone_. Definitely every alpha I have ever met. And most definitely Ms. Crenshaw from my omega classes.”

As soon as a teenager presented as an omega, they would be taking separate classes. To not _sidetrack_ the other students. Which Castiel assumed was just code for _to keep the number of assaults to a minimum_. They also had a few distinct subjects. The topics on all of those could be accurately summarized to _How to attract and please your Alpha_. For example, the sex-ed classes had a distinctly one-sided focus. How you could get pregnant or claimed (and what one could do to avoid it) was hardly mentioned, but the best presenting positions was considered a highly important topic. Luckily, Castiel had had Gabriel to help him fill out the blanks.

At his last comment, Dean laughed out loud. Then his mood suddenly changed and he growled almost threateningly and nipped at Castiel’s neck in a possessive manner. He started to rub himself over Castiel, unconsciously spreading his scent on him. The omega could feel his arousal flare up again at this possessive display.

“Then I guess, all those alphas you have _met_ don’t know what they are missing. Because you taste amazing, omega.” With that he slowly scratched his teeth across Castiel’s jawline while one of his hands squeezed a nipple almost painfully.

The omega suddenly realized what had caused the sudden change in Dean’s behaviour and he blushed deeply. “I didn’t mean… I meant… _met_ met… I have not… I … Dean, you are the second person I have slept with. Ever.”

Dean seemed to come out of some sort of haze and his touches turned gentler. “Sorry. I got a bit carried away there.”

After another round of cuddling, Dean turned the movie back on and excused himself to the kitchen to make some sandwiches. Naturally, Castiel was supposed to stay on the couch and enjoy the show.

It gave the omega time to wonder about Dean. Again. He did so many things that alphas were not supposed to do. Like pleasing an omega with his mouth – and then make him lunch! Since he had stumbled into the kitchen two days ago, Castiel had seen Dean cooking and cleaning. The alpha had changed the sheets in the bedroom (three times by now) and he had even done some laundry. Castiel was quite sure that Dean was the first alpha he met who even knew _how_ a washing machine worked. The alpha had told him how he had to take care of Sam when they grew up – so that explained why he was _able_ to do those things. But for him to do them so naturally now – and with an omega in the house!

It was even more puzzling because of the high dominance level Dean radiated. In Castiel’s experience – as well as most people for sure – the more dominant an alpha was the more arrogant and self-centered and vicious.

He was put out of his musings when Dean returned, carrying two plates and a bottle of water that seemed to follow him everywhere.

It suddenly disturbed Castiel how much Dean knew about heats. The way he always animated him to drink (it was true, dehydration was a danger during heats), the way he seemed to always touch him lightly (an alpha’s touch keeps the pain and restlessness to a minimum), the way he sometimes held Castiel’s head to the crook of his neck (the scent of a contented alpha was just the most calming thing ever. Period). All those actions seemed to confirm Castiel’s suspicions that this might just be every other weekend for the alpha.

>><< 

 

By 6 p.m., Castiel had watched three episodes of Sherlock and Dean had made them both come only with his hands – the alpha had insisted on not penetrating him again just yet. Since Alastair had only let him come once – one single time – during an entire heat, Castiel was completely in awe of Dean’s efforts to keep the omega sated. He snuggled deeper into the other man and listened to his heartbeats in the otherwise quiet room.

Just as he was about to drift into a peaceful slumber, Castiel was ripped out of his blissful mindset, feeling like he’d been drowned in ice water.

“The Papers! I need to hand in the papers tomorrow! It’s why I’m _here_!” He shot off the couch in an impulse to do _something_.

“Relax, Cas. It is already taken care of.” Dean slowly sat up and stretched, apparently unfazed by the omega´s sudden outburst. Castiel just looked down at him, confusion written over his face. “When I went to the city yesterday, I stopped by my assistant’s place and asked him to bring them in first thing tomorrow morning.”

Castiel calmed down nearly as fast as he had gotten agitated, but he was still furious with himself.

“We better get started with dinner. You like chicken curry?” The alpha got off the couch, but before he could make another step, Castiel held him back.

“Let me cook. I’m sure you must take care of things meanwhile and I make a very good curry. Please.” The plea behind Castiel’s request was serious, he wanted to do this. He needed to do something for his alpha. Dean seemed to notice the urgency in Castiel’s voice –he fetched his laptop and worked through some e-mails while the omega started on their dinner, dressed only in a pair of boxers and a washed-out shirt.

Castiel had always enjoyed cooking but he normally didn’t bother with it. Though sometimes, on weekends, he would make something more elaborate, and he liked to pretend that he was preparing dinner for his mate. He always resented himself afterwards – but then again, a little daydreaming couldn’t hurt.

Working around in Dean’s kitchen, he let his mind wander. He indulged in the feeling of taking care of a mate, his alpha. While he was stirring sauce and cutting vegetables, he felt more at home than he ever had anywhere else. Logically, he knew that he would leave this place first thing tomorrow morning and would probably never see Dean again. He smelled his own distress mixing with the sharp spices. A part of him held on to the hope that maybe Dean would want to see him again. He didn’t know how much of this was provoked by his heat, but right now he felt devastated at the thought of going back to his lonely life, of leaving Dean.

After he had been cooking and baking (to his delight he had found all ingredients for apple pie) for about an hour, he finally called Dean to the kitchen and the perfectly set table.

“Wow, Cas, this looks delicious.” The words plus the radiant _happy_ scent coming off Dean had Castiel preen.

They ate quietly and Castiel tried to calm down the butterflies in his stomach – which was not an easy task with Dean so openly enjoying his cooking skills. The omega was glad he had prepared such a big amount that he thought was definitely too much. The desert-surprise was received with even greater joy and Dean let out a passionate moan at his first taste of pie.

“You know, you keep that up and I might have to keep you. I could get used to this kind of weekends.” Of course, this was a joke. Castiel knew this was a joke. But still, the butterflies did another excited dance and he practically glowed at the prospect of sitting here with Dean on a regular basis. The way Dean looked at him intently just had him flush to a deeper shade.

After dinner, Castiel shooed Dean out of the kitchen again and cleaned everything up. Then he followed the alpha next-door. Dean was sitting at the small table in the cramped living room and typed something on his notebook. Castiel stood behind the chair and started to massage the alpha’s shoulders. They stayed like this for a few minutes: Dean reading while Castiel’s hands wandered across the alpha’s neck, shoulders and back. Both men obviously taking great pleasure in the scene. This was so _domestic_. It felt wonderful.

After some time, Dean closed his computer, leaned back and pulled Castiel on his lap, back to chest. He let both hands run over the smaller man’s thighs, stroking up and down, massaging the inside. Castiel started to twitch impatiently, rubbing his behind over Dean’s crotch. By the time Dean’s hands wandered under his shirt and up his torso, Castiel had dampened both men’s pants with his slick. He felt Dean’s fingers over his nipples, rubbing both at the same time.

Dean inhaled deeply at the omega’s neck “Your scent is so hot, baby.”

Castiel bared his neck even more in a perfectly submissive pose. “I want you to mark me this time, Alpha.”

Dean pulled back for a moment. “You sure?” Castiel nodded vehemently and the alpha lightly scratched his teeth along his neck. This time, the omega did not tense up but leaned into the touch.

Next thing, Dean had thrown Castiel over his shoulder and was stalking up the stairs. The omega was unceremoniously thrown on the mattress, the caveman right on top of him. The alpha made quick work of both men’s clothes and started to kiss and stroke along Castiel’s body. But he always moved back to the omega’s neck, nibbling lightly and rumbling possessively. Had Castiel known the alpha would get so excited at the prospect of marking him – he was sure he would have begged him to do so from the beginning.

Castiel had gained some confidence in the past few days with Dean, so he didn’t just lie back and wait for Dean to move forward anymore, but he licked and sucked at any bit of skin he could reach, hands wandering up and down in a feverish haste.

The men explored each other for a long time, Dean’s fingers probing inside Castiel constantly – until finally, Dean lifted the omega’s legs and wrapped them around his waist. When he pushed his cock inside the omega’s hole, Castiel went stiff, just for a second. It was long enough for Dean to stop his movements.

“What’s wrong, Cas?”

Castiel relaxed and marvelled at the wonderful feeling of his alpha inside him. “Nothing. I just didn’t know that … you would do it _like_ _that_ …”

“Oh baby, there are lots of ways to _do_ _it_.” With a wicked smirk, the alpha nearly pulled out and harshly pushed back in, causing both men to moan.

Castiel loved this position. He could see the alpha’s gorgeous face and inhale his scent even more deeply. Dean’s thrusts became faster and harder until he finally pushed in unbelievably deep and his knot tied them together at once. At the same time, the alpha buried his canines in the omega’s neck and marked him as his.

Castiel came with a loud cry, losing consciousness once again.

 

>><< 

When Castiel woke up, he knew immediately there was something distinctly different.

It felt like the world had suddenly shifted around him while he was asleep. It was not a bad change – at least he didn’t think so since he felt just wonderful. His heat was over and he lay in a soft bed with his mate beside him.

_Mate_.

Castiel sat up abruptly, anxious to not wake the alpha. His hand suddenly shot up to his neck and he could clearly feel Dean’s claiming bite.

And that was exactly what it was: Not just a mark that would disappear in a couple of days.

Castiel had been claimed.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I) It’s going to be a long day for the boys and it will be split into three chapters (with lots of talking).   
> II) Thank you for your kudos and comments. They make me do silly little happy dances! XD

Chapter FIVE

When Castiel woke up, he knew immediately there was something distinctly different.

It felt like the world had suddenly shifted around him while he was asleep. It was not a bad change – at least he didn’t think so since he felt just wonderful. His heat was over and he lay in a soft bed with his mate beside him.

_Mate_.

Castiel sat up abruptly, anxious to not wake the alpha. His hand suddenly shot up to his neck and he could clearly feel Dean’s claiming bite.

And that was exactly what it was: Not just a mark that would disappear in a couple of days.

Castiel had been claimed.

He felt panic rise inside him. How could this have happened? It was impossible. Ever since he had presented, Castiel had been so careful to avoid getting claimed. He did not want to be controlled by an alpha. He did not want to submit 24/7. Both his family and his experiences in college had given him a fairly good impression of how easily an omega’s life could turn into hell.

Dean stirred slightly and Castiel wondered, if he should just run and hide. But of course, this wouldn’t help him in the least since Dean could always find him – now that they were bonded, the alpha could easily track him down. Also, a small part of him was actually _happy_ about his bond to Dean. It felt _right_. This train of thought had him question his own sanity.

He could feel Dean waking up and another fit of panic claimed him. Would the alpha be mad? Would he blame Castiel for what happened? He had told him he was on PWP/15 after all – and now it didn’t work! Maybe he would just throw him out.

Before Dean had even opened his eyes, he was half on top of the omega, face buried in the crook of his neck. The alpha inhaled deeply and Castiel assumed he would instantly pick up on the scent of mated omega. He himself could discern the change clearly – Dean Winchester mixed up in his own scent.

“What’s wrong, Cas?” Dean pulled back a little and his green eyes looked concerned. Obviously, he had only picked up on the sharp scent of fear so far. He looked down at the omega for another moment and Castiel could see exactly, when Dean realized what had happened. The alpha leaned down again and started licking at his claiming bite and for some reason, this action calmed Castiel down considerably. He felt safe.

After a few minutes, Castiel’s breathing was back to normal and Dean pulled them both on their sides, facing each other, arms still wrapped around the omega.

“How?” The alpha asked without anger in his voice or scent. This had Castiel relax even more.

“I don’t know. I have no idea how this could have happened. I am on the strongest omega medication there is. I am so sorry. I didn’t…”

“Hush” Dean pulled Castiel’s head towards his neck, letting the omega inhale deeply for a few moments.

“Maybe I should see my doctor. Find out what is wrong. Could we…?” Castiel asked hesitantly. He wasn’t sure, how Dean would react to his newly bound omega making requests already. Or ever. But the alpha had been nothing but kind to him and his scent was so relaxed and _pleased_.

“Sure, let’s find out what’s happening here.”

Castiel had hopped out of bed before Dean could even blink.

“What? You mean right now?” groaned Dean. The omega blushed deeply, feeling insecure again.

“Alright, alright.” Dean got off the bed and walked stark naked towards the door. “You take a shower, while I make some toast and coffee.” He turned around again and put a quick kiss on Castiel’s forehead, palming his cheek gently. “This is gonna be all right, Cas. I promise.” When he finally left for the stairs, Castiel instantly missed the alpha.

He walked into the bathroom and started to make himself presentable, deeply absorbed in his thoughts. This was how it would be from now on. He would always crave the presence of his alpha, his touch and scent. He would stay at home and cook and clean and pop out as many pups as possible.

At the thought of holding a green-eyed baby in his arms, he felt a sudden yearning in his stomach. He had never thought about having children before – since he had been fixated on staying unmated, he never let himself get any wild ideas.

He put on the clothes he had worn when he arrived on Friday. The dress shirt missed a couple of buttons but it was still decent enough. After the shower, he could smell his new scent even stronger than before. Mated. Claimed. There was still his original fragrance but it was now overshadowed by the scent of _alpha_. Of a very dominant alpha.

 

>><< 

 

“So, where’s your doctor’s practice, Cas?”

They sat in Dean’s beloved car. The quick breakfast had been awkward, neither man seemed to know what to say. But Dean had still repeatedly brushed his hands over Castiel, and the omega had always leaned into it, trying to prolong the contact. A few times, he could feel a pleased rumble coming off Dean’s chest in answer to his reaction.

He was a bit surprised, when Dean opened the passenger’s door for him. He remembered his mother always sitting in the back. He even remembered her lying in the trunk sometimes – when the whole family was out and there wasn’t enough room for everyone. Memories like that had Castiel’s panic flare up again and again – and Dean always countered with soft touches, grounding the omega.

Castiel told Dean the address and the alpha started the car.

“Is she any good?”

The question surprised Castiel: Dean wondered if he had a good doctor? It was a widely known secret that many students who failed their exams settled for being omega physicians since the requirements weren’t as strict. Society was alright with that.

“Yes, she is _very_ good.” Castiel meant it. He had managed to find a doctor who truly knew her job and who not only concentrated on the physical aspect but on omega psyche as well. Meg Masters was visited mostly by unmated omegas, though. As she had a reputation of not always consulting the omegas’ mates. Just recently, Castiel had witnessed how she prescribed an omega birth control pills – without her alpha’s knowledge. To spare the poor thing the eighth pregnancy in as many years.

Castiel did not mention that about his doctor, though.

“Listen Cas…” Dean rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “When you see your doctor and if this mating turns out to be the real deal, could you ask her to put you on different medication?”

Castile froze. It had already started. Did the alpha want him to get pregnant as soon as possible?

Dean noticed Castiel’s reluctance. “Of course, this is your decision. But PWP/15 is some strong shit and it’s not exactly healthy. You _could_ reduce to simple birth control. You know, suppressing your scent doesn’t really make much sense now, same goes for the claiming-inhibitor. And you won’t be on your own for your heats anymore. Also, other alphas will not affect you much.” At that Dean let out an almost-growl, followed by an apologetic smile. “Just think about it, okay?”

“Okay,” Castiel murmured.

He had to admit, that Dean’s words were plausible – and he was relieved that the alpha obviously did not plan to get him pregnant right away, even though he seemed to be willing to acknowledge their bond. But Castiel was still wary of going into heat so often – he had no idea how his life would be from now on after all. He also did not know yet how he could have been claimed.

And maybe he _was_ already with child?

 

>><< 

 

Finally, they arrived at the parking lot in front of a tall building. On their short walk to Dr Masters’ practise, Castiel tried to stay a few steps behind the alpha. Which Dean made exceedingly difficult by always waiting up on him.

The second they walked in, Castiel could feel numerous pairs of eyes on them. He had almost forgotten that the presence of an alpha in _this_ practice was quite rare. For many omegas, this was some sort of safe place. It didn’t help things that Dean practically prowled towards the receptionist, telling her there was an emergency and he needed to see the doctor _right_ _now_.

The poor girl nearly blacked out from suddenly having an alpha in her face. She mumbled something about Ms. Masters being in a consultation right now – Dean did not seem to like this answer.

Castiel had no idea _how_ the alpha did it. He hadn’t moved at all, but suddenly he looked like he was nine feet tall and there was something virtually dangerous about him.

The omega reached out to the man and put his hand on the alpha’s shoulder. “Dean, stop it. You need to calm down. You are scaring… _everyone_.” It was true. Not only the beta girl in front of them visibly covered – every omega in the waiting room had their necks bared and some looked like they were seriously considering a jump through the window behind them.

Dean looked down at Castiel and inhaled deeply. After that, at least the alpha’s scent eased down to normal. He opened his mouth to apologize – or so Castiel hoped.

“What is going on here?” Meg Masters stood in the door to the physician’s office and looked around sternly. Her gaze fell on Dean and then she looked at her patient.

“Castiel? What…?”

Of course, it took her less than a second to notice that Castiel had been claimed – by the alpha right next to him.

“It’s alright, Ambriel. I can squeeze them in between. Follow me, please.” She added towards the freshly mated couple.

 

>><< 

 

Once they were seated in the office and introductions had been made, Meg looked at both men astonished. Dean sat in a more distinct alpha pose than Castiel had seen on him before while the omega’s hands twitched nervously.

“Now… this is a surprise. Could you tell me what happened? As far as I know, you are under strong medication, Castiel.” The omega had never seen the physician so flustered, but she also seemed oddly excited. Like there was a fascinating puzzle to solve.

“I was. I am.” Castiel started after Dean had looked at him promptly. It was all so new to him and he didn’t know what Dean expected of him. It was not an uncommon view that omegas should only talk when they were directly permitted to do so.

“Last Friday, my heat started, about three weeks early. I … ahem … Dean helped me through it…“ Castiel blushed deeply, talking about intimate details was not something he was comfortable with.  He cleared his throat. “Then last night, Dean marked me; just that… when we woke up today, I was mated. Claimed. But this should be impossible! With PWP/15 this should not…” Castiel felt his panic rise again, but when Dean touched his knee lightly, he managed to calm down enough to concentrate on the physician.

“Can I check something?” Meg’s gaze was on Dean.

“Well, this is kind of why we are here.” There was definitely a dominant edge around Dean that Castiel had not seen before.

Meg set out to measure both men’s heartbeats multiple times. First, she checked them sitting down, separately. After that she asked them to touch each other, skin on skin, once she had Castiel running on a treadmill in between – at last, the results seemed to confirm her theory. If she had been excited before – now she seemed euphoric.

“Whenever you touch each other, your heartbeats are completely in sync.” She announced and then the physician leaned back in her chair like she had just explained everything. Dean and Castiel however just looked at each other, confused.

“Oh, come on, have you never seen a good old Hollywood romance? Read a bit of Sheridan or Andrews? I mean, those books are _everywhere_! You are what the lovesick-fraction would call _true_ _mates_.”

“But that stuff’s not real. I mean, it’s not _really_ real!” Dean exclaimed eloquently. Castiel was too puzzled for words.

“Yes and no.” Meg seemed to sober up considerably, noting that the men before her clearly did not share her enthusiasm. “Maybe not the look-into-each-others-eyes-and-read-each-others-mind-stuff. Or the every-second-without-you-my-heart-aches-part.

“But you see, between alphas and omegas there seem to be couples who fit together perfectly, on a biological level. However, it is extremely – I repeat: _extremely_ – rare. And for those perfect counterparts to actually meet, especially when the omega is still claimable!” She looked at the couple again, unable to conceal her excitement –  but she was met only with blank stares.

“Anyway, it is a barely known fact, that in this case all the medication in the world could not prevent an omega from getting mated. Permanently. You know, this is mentioned on the insert to your pills, Castiel. It is just so unbelievably rare, that no one ever really talks about it. It’s like winning the lottery and getting eaten by a shark on the same day.”

Castiel felt dizzy. Until this moment he had somehow hoped (feared?) that this was just some kind of side effect; that everything would go back to normal. But obviously his _body_ had decided he needed a mate. He looked up at Dean. The alpha seemed surprised by the whole explanation, but there was still no irritation in his scent. Of course, nothing had to change for him. He could just have some fun with a dependent omega and then move on.

At that thought, Castiel felt sick and he leaned forward to calm down, head between his knees. He could feel Dean’s warm hand on his back and the alpha whispered to him in a soothing voice, but the omega could not make out any words.

Eventually, Castiel leaned back and tried to focus on his physician again.

“Alpha, would you mind leaving me and your mate alone for a moment?”

Dean tensed up for a second, then he stood stiffly. “Of course. I’ll just wait outside the door.”

He managed to make it sound like an assurance and a threat at the same time.

At the sound of the closing door, Castiel got overwhelmed by this feeling of insecurity again. This was how it was going to be from here on out. Asking his alpha for permission in every matter. Even his cheeky doctor felt the need to address the alpha in a respectful manner.

“Castiel, will you look at me, please?” The beta smiled. “There you are. Could you tell me a little bit about your heat? Did you feel much pain?”

“No.” Castiel thought back on the last few days. “It was the best heat I ever had. I mean, I did not even know it could be so … pleasant. There was hardly any pain at all … like my body was so focused on Dean’s scent and touch… And whenever I got really … you know … Dean was there and I felt just so… _good_.” By the end of his rumblings Castiel had blushed to a deep shade of pink. “I also had enough to drink and eat and I could even sleep between … I was also not as delirious as I normally am.”

“So it seems like your alpha took good care of you, yes?”

Castiel nodded firmly.

“You know what I saw when I walked in the reception room just now? I saw an alpha whose dominance levels are simply off the scale and my Castiel Novak, an omega who was always wary of any and all alphas. And you were scolding him! In a room full of people!” A little smile ghosted around Castiel’s lips; he was rather proud of himself. After all, Dean could be a scary beast.

“And your Mr. Winchester did not look all that bothered by it.” She was right. In that moment, Castiel had not thought about how an omega should behave (if he had, he would have probably never opened his mouth) but had acted on instinct. And Dean had clearly not been angry with him. On the contrary, he had listened to Castiel’s request.

“What I am trying to tell you, Castiel: there _are_ good mates, good alphas. You know this. One of your friends is happily mated, isn’t she? Hannah? From all I have heard and seen, your alpha treated you well so far. And there is no reason why this should change.

“I know this is a big step for you. And with your upbringing, you have every right to feel wary. But you are a mated omega now. There is no turning back. So, please, for your own good, try to keep an open mind. There _are_ many advantages to having an alpha mate.

“For example, you don’t have to fear your heats any more since random alphas have no influence over you. And they are not even gonna try, Clarence. Not with _that_ alpha mixed in your scent.” She winked at him and even Castiel’s lips twitched slightly.

“I will even grant you the privilege of admitting: I was wrong.”

Castiel looked quizzically at the physician. “About what?”

“I know, this makes me sound like the least emancipated person ever, but: All this time I’ve known you, I thought the best thing that could happen to you is finding an alpha to get yourself mated with.”

Castiel frowned. He had not known that his relationship status was so interesting to the doctor. And if anything, he would have thought Meg would set him up with a beta. Clearly, Castiel could have never imagined himself with an alpha. She seemed to be able to read his thoughts.

“Not a beta. An alpha. I thought a true bond with a caring mate was the best way to make you feel safe, especially since you couldn’t be influenced during heat anymore. And I still think that a good alpha can be a blessing for you. _But_ I always thought they should be as docile as possible. I was obviously wrong. Seeing you with your mate, scenting this strong claim on you… Be honest, Castiel, does that not make you feel protected?”

“It does. Dean’s scent is wonderful.” The words were out before Castiel could stop himself. Meg gave a satisfied little laugh.

“Hold on to that thought, Clarence. You know, there is an almost spiritual bond between an alpha and an omega, that science could never completely decipher. So try and listen to your feelings.” She looked intently at Castiel, who gave a tentative nod.

“Now, just one more thing before we call your alpha back. Since we just settled that your scent is now vehemently different,” she smirked at that. “ _And_ that your heat will be more bearable, might I suggest that you get off your suppressors? Of course, I can still prescribe you to birth control. You know my opinion, Castiel, and now there is really no need for PWP/15 anymore.”

They had had this conversation for about a year now. Meg reminded him on every meeting, how dangerous the medication could be if you took it too long. The physician typed quickly on her computer and finally handed the omega a freshly printed prescription.

“Just take it and think about it.” True to her reputation, the beta doctor obviously wanted the omega to be able to make his own decision – without the interference from his alpha mate.

“So… does this mean… I am not pregnant? Since the claiming inhibitor didn’t work, I thought maybe…?”

“I don’t think so, no. Of course, we can check the next time you are here; would be too early today anyway. I don’t know how this could have worked, though, pregnancy is strictly biology while a bond is on a whole other level. So don’t brood over it too much. But with a pair like you two – as soon as you are off your pills, there will be no drill before the little soldiers hit their target.”

Castiel rolled his eyes at Meg’s last statement and put the prescription in his pockets.

He noticed that this little talk with the physician had composed him considerably.

“Now, how about we call your alpha back in? Hopefully, he has not yet scared all my patients away.”

 

>><< 

 

When Castiel opened the door, he was surprised to see Dean sitting on the nearest chair, looking as demure as he was capable of (which was not all that much). But it seemed to work – the receptionist was cheerily at work again and the waiting omega patients at least didn’t seem to be terrified any more.

Dean was instantly in Castiel’s personal space again, a hand quickly running down the omega’s neck. Castiel appreciated the affirmative gesture and led his mate back into the room. When they sat on their chairs, Dean let his hand rest gently on Castiel’s thigh.

“Mr. Winchester, now that we have identified the cause of your mating, I’d like to provide some information on how to best move forward.  If you are interested, that is.” Castiel was staggered once more at how careful Meg treated Dean. He knew his physician to be bold and straightforward.

“Sure, hit me.” His serious look betrayed the alpha’s casual tone.

“As you probably know, the mating bond means a profound change for an omega. This does not mean, however, that you as an alpha are unaffected. It is normal to feel rather possessive of your mate, some alphas might also manifest a strong urge to protect and provide for him. And of course, the impulse to breed.

“If you choose, you can feel intense emotions of your omega, like fear or strong distress. Even when your mate is not in close proximity.  The bond allows you to always find your mate as if you had a physical connection. I guess you can feel this already.” Dean nodded, seemingly absorbed in thoughts. “A _happy_ omega can also have a calming influence on their mate. Bonded alphas often don’t leash out quite as harshly and generally feel more content than before.”

 “Now for the omega: Unlike an alpha, the omega will be claimed permanently and the link cannot be removed, as long as you are alive. The omega will always crave a physical relationship with their mate. I am not talking about sex necessarily: little, seemingly mundane touches are equally important. The omega also feels a natural urge to please their alpha. This means, they will react strongly to any form of anger or displeasure coming off their mates. Those aspects apply especially to the first weeks, when two mates are not yet accustomed to each other.

“As you probably know, the omega will lose any sexual interest in other alphas and they are not as easily influenced by any other than their own mate. This means for example they will not likely be manipulated by the so-called command voice and while in heat, the omega will only crave their mate – no other alpha will bring satisfaction and no other alpha will be able to control the omega. “

Dean let out a deep rumble. None of this could have been news to him, but he obviously liked the thought. Castiel on the other hand felt a little bit weird hearing all this talk about _the alpha_ and _the omega_. Like it wasn’t about them.

“It is like their world subtly gravitates around their alpha, the change in scent is characteristic for it.” She hesitated noticeably for a moment. “However, this does not mean omegas stop being their own person; they still have their own thoughts and feelings and opinions. There is a difference between wanting to see your mate happy and complete self-abandonment.”

She paused, subtly emphasizing her last statement.

Castiel wondered that this might be the strangest speech an alpha ever heard after a claiming. Meg did not mention anything in the way of _you are the boss in this relationship_ or _you are legally allowed to do whatever you want with your omega_ or _it is an omega’s job to submit to every wish and here’s how to best exploit it_. Of course, Castiel had not expected such words out of Meg’s mouth, but he was a bit surprised at Dean’s stoic acceptance. Then again, the power gap between the two genders was widely known – so it was not like you needed an instruction from an omega doctor.

“Since you came here together, I assume you plan to acknowledge this bond, Mr. Winchester. Numerous studies have shown that the first 10-15 days can be crucial for the omega’s future emotional state. And there are a number of things you could do to help Castiel to come to terms with his new role.”

Dean still seemed genuinely intrigued – he looked a little bit like he was already taking mental notes. The concentrated look was almost endearing. Castiel on the other hand was no less interested – he had not known there could be certain actions to _ease_ the way for an omega.

“Generally speaking, it would be best to get Castiel acknowledged to the biggest changes in his life right away – this includes living conditions, social surroundings, places he’ll be supposed to visit, chores.” Castiel could feel himself freeze. This was happening so fast – and now even his favourite doctor was voting to throw him right into it. All hopes of slowly settling in were drowned in one sentence. By the end of the day, he’ll probably have cleaned Dean’s place from top to bottom and find himself moving into the broom closet.

“First of all, this means you should move in together right away. Get used to living with each other. It will help Castiel orientate into his new life to let both of your scents mix in your place. And I know you are probably a very busy man, but it would be best for both of you to spend as much time together as possible in the beginning. While you are at work, it might be confirming for Castiel to stay in your apartment so that he will have at least your scent around. Of course, if you plan to frequently bring him with you to the office, it would be best to start right away.”

It was not uncommon for prestigious alphas to bring their omegas to work and have them serve on their mates. Castiel shuddered at the thought.

Dean cleared his throat and looked a bit abashed. “Yeah, that’s not gonna be a problem. I already called in and took the week off.”

He was met with surprised looks from both the doctor and the omega.

“What? I _am_ the CEO – I can easily take a vacation after life-changing events.” He smirked, but sobered up quickly and turned towards Castiel. “But maybe we could stop by in the next couple of days. So you can get an impression of the place, yes? So you are already used to it, should you come _visit_ in the future.” He emphasized the word in a way that had Castiel hope he would not be expected to just follow around his alpha like a dog. Dean on the other hand looked inquiringly at Meg like he was looking for confirmation to his proposal.

“Yes, that would be great. You should go to places you expect to visit frequently in the future. The same goes for people – even more so, actually. If you have friends and family or colleagues you want Castiel to interact with in the future, you should introduce him to as many as possible in the next two weeks.”

Dean frowned at that, obviously something Meg had said rubbed him in the wrong way. Then again, quite a few alphas advanced the opinion that omegas did not need social contacts beside the own household. Dean’s reaction surprised Castiel, though.

“So what? Should we throw a party with 100 people and speed-date everyone through?”

“No no, that might be a bit much. Just you know … people you feel close to and who you meet on a regular basis. People who might show up at your home. There is no need to meet them all at once either, though a smaller group for a dinner or something would of course be all right. If you have any alpha associates you expect Castiel to have contact with, it would be especially helpful to meet them within the first 10 days.”

Dean looked a bit puzzled. Then he asked, seemingly concerned. “But I cannot pack my whole future life into 10 days. I mean, what if I befriend another alpha next year? Or you know, my place is not exactly suitable for a fa… for more people than just me. Should we go house-hunting right away or what?”

Castiel looked intently at Dean, who still had a hand resting on the omega’s thigh. He felt a little bold and let his own hand fall on Dean’s, the alpha instantly intertwining their fingers. For the first time since he woke up that morning Castiel felt hopeful. Like this could work. Like maybe this was even a _good_ thing. Dean seemed so _sincere_ in his worries and he obviously tried to understand all of Meg’s recommendations.

The physician obviously came to a similar conclusion and she smiled warmly at the alpha. “Of course you can change various things in your future life. This is more about immerging in the new – _current_ – situation. It will help Castiel comprehend what is expected from him and how to act. For example, maybe you want him to be submissive when you are alone but to act confident in a group. Or you give him more leeway when it’s just the two of you, but in company he should appear all compliant.” Dean stiffened distinctly while Castiel covered a little. “You should also talk about this from the start. What _you_ want from your future life together. How you expect to be treated. Or your friends and family.”

Dean let out a disgruntled growl. Castiel could feel the alpha tense up considerably and tried to calm the man just by squeezing his hand more firmly. It seemed to work and Castiel could feel the butterflies in his stomach jump – it felt wonderful that he had such an influence on his mate.

Meg flinched back, but she didn’t stop speaking. “Mr. Winchester, I am sure you know that omega mates are treated in very different ways. There are a lot of traditional alphas as well as those who can see past the stereotypical subordinate cliché. Some omegas are allowed to still speak their minds as well as keep their jobs and friends. Others hardly get to wear clothes and are expected to crawl whenever their alpha is around. It is profound that you clarify his new position for Castiel as soon as possible.”

Dean looked at the physician with such a fixating glare that Castiel was afraid he might lunge out any second. But Meg seemingly tried to ease off the tension by simply continuing her speech. For a brief second, Castiel wondered, if she ever before got to recite the whole thing.

“Now maybe the most important thing – your scent and your touch. Both will always be comforting to your mate. Well, as long as you are in a good mood. So I suggest a strong physical relationship. Again, I am not necessarily talking about intercourse.” Her lips twitched slightly when she gazed at the pair’s combined hands. “I imagine, this should be no hardship for you. Should you be upset or irritated, Castiel will easily pick up on it and it is likely he will make himself responsible for it. At least until you two get to know each other better. If he isn’t, just tell him.

“Castiel might also be prone to mood swings and insecurities the next couple of days, but you should be able to easily calm him down, if you choose to do so. I am sorry, Castiel, but your hormones might run riot the next couple of days,” she added with a warm smile.

With one last deep breath Meg ended her monologue. “If you follow my recommendations, you should have an easy transition into your new life. Again, I propose you start by bringing Castiel to your place today and meet with your closest friends and family in the near future. If you have any omegas in your close circle – they would be a good start.” She stood, took a book from the shelf and handed it to Dean. “In this you can find some scientific approach to the bond between an alpha and omega. I would also like to make an appointment for you, Castiel, in about two weeks. To check up on you and your health.” There was a slight edge to her voice but Dean either didn’t notice or didn’t care.

The alpha stood as well and Castiel hesitantly followed. He knew, as soon as he walked out of the practice – he would step right into his new life.

Castiel agreed to the next appointment date (after looking inquiringly at Dean) and shook hands with the physician. After slight hesitation Meg hugged the omega quickly and whispered “Best of luck, Clarence.”

“Cas will also need a certificate, won’t he?”

Meg and Castiel both looked stunned at the alpha.

“You know for work…” He was still met by nothing but shock. “For the next two weeks? I understand, he should concentrate on getting used to being a mated omega and stay at home. Or is this not a medical thing? You better take leave days?”

“No, of course. How thoughtless of me.” Meg ran to the reception and murmured quickly with her assistant.

At Castiel’s still intrigued look Dean frowned. “What?”

“You want me to keep working?”

“Sure. I thought you liked your job. But if you don’t want to … I mean of course you don’t _have_ to…” The alpha got a bit flustered. “You know what? Let’s talk about this at home.”

_Home_.

Castiel felt both scared and excited at the prospect of now sharing a home with the alpha.

 

>><< 

 

Once they stepped outside the practice, Dean stopped and took a deep breath. When he saw Castiel’s anxious glance he said: “You know, when I got to that supposedly boring meeting last Friday, I did not expect to have my life turned upside down.”

The omega did not know what to make of that remark; to be on the safe side he started apologizing. “I am so sorry, Dean. You know, you don’t have to take me with you. You could just …”

“Hey. None of that, Cas. I didn’t mean to fluster you. I just … you now it _is_ a bit sudden. For both of us. Does not mean, it is a bad thing.” He pulled Castiel in an awkward half-embrace. “Now, how about we go to your place and pack a few things up?”

On the way to the car, they passed a pharmacy. Castiel stopped and pulled the prescription out of his pocket. “Ahem… Dean? Would you mind if we got new medication? Meg prescribed me some birth control-pills…?” He was a bit timid how the alpha would react. He obviously did want Castiel to change medication – but maybe he didn’t like them having talked about it without him in the room.

The way Dean simply beamed at that had Castiel’s worries quickly dissolved. The moment they were about to step in, Dean’s cell phone rang. One look at the display had the alpha pause. “Can you go in on your own? I should get that.” Castiel had the feeling that Dean didn’t want him to listen in on the conversation.

In the shop, he dallied a bit – to give Dean the opportunity to finish his phone call. He paid for the pills with his money and wondered for a moment if this was the last time he would buy anything on his own account.

When he came back out, he heard Dean say: “Okay, Sammy, see you soon. Gotta go now.” The alpha sent him a radiant smile – but Castiel could see the man was quite rattled.

Without another word, the men stepped into the car.

Before Dean started the ignition, though, he looked wide-eyed at the pharmacy and there was a definite blush creeping up his neck to his cheeks.

“You know, Cas… with the way the inhibitor failed…” He cleared his throat. “You think these might still… be necessary?” Obviously, this was the first time Dean had even considered that Castiel might be pregnant – he was not even ready to form the word yet.

“Meg doesn’t think I’m pregnant, so…”

“Oh. Good.” Dean exhaled loudly. “That’s good. Good.”

>><<


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter SIX

 

The short drive to Castiel’s apartment was spent in silence other than curt directions from the omega. When they finally parked the car in a quiet area of town, Castiel made no move to get out or say anything. He just stared ahead and tried to come to terms with what was happening.

He would now go to his old home (bleak and lonely as it might have been) and pack up whatever Dean would allow him to bring. And that was it. He looked down and saw his fingers trembling.

Suddenly, he felt Dean’s strong hand on his neck. The alpha leaned over and pulled Castiel towards him. Like magic, the scent calmed the omega. Maybe there were some advantages to this mating-thing.

“Talk to me, Cas. What should we do now? You want us to stay here at first?” The alpha’s tone was low and soothing.

“Why are you not mad?” The question was out before he could think about it.

Castiel had wondered about this practically since he woke up. Despite his own feelings of confusion and hope and panic and irritation and fear and happiness – the alpha seemed completely at ease with this sudden change.

“What?” Dean jerked back, searching the other man’s gaze.

“You just got mated. Involuntarily. I know, you could just brush it off and walk away from it, but since we are here to pack my things – I presume you want to give it at least a try. You’re about to let an omega you hardly know move into your place. How does this not irritate you more?”

Dean sighed soundly and settled back into his seat. “I guess I am not the type to brood about things you can’t change. This is what happened and now we should just try to make the best of it.”

Castiel only continued to glare at the man next to him. He did believe his words and yet – that was not all there was to it. Dean huffed.

“Look, Cas, the idea of getting mated is not completely new to me. The last couple of months I had been repeatedly thinking about settling down. Or maybe the words of my girl-brother and my friends were just getting to me. But I was keeping my eye out for someone who might catch my interest.

“I’ll admit I was rather expecting a random bump-in at the next grocery store, followed by coffee and then dinner or something like that. Definitely not a magnificent sex-weekend in my cabin.”

At that Castiel crouched a bit, but Dean just took his hand and inhaled at his wrist; it was an oddly intimate gesture.

“What I am trying to say is: I did want you from the moment you walked into that board room. And I would have definitely asked you out again at a later time – after your heat. But then you suddenly showed up at my door a few hours later – and I fear I am not the type to deny myself such a gorgeous gift.”

The omega felt himself tingle all over. It was wonderful to hear Dean had been affected by him so strongly, had _wanted_ him from the start.

“And – for me at least – the past weekend had been _very_ enjoyable. And I don’t just mean the sex.” His smirk was downright dirty. “Though that _was_ awesome.

“I think we fitted quite well together. And I would have definitely called you again, to see where it leads. If you asked me, whether I would have claimed you knowingly yesterday – no, I wouldn’t have. But I _did_ think about it. And now your feisty doctor even tells us we are practically made for each other. So … I will keep an open mind and I will definitely try at this whole mating-thing.”

Castiel sat there for a while and let Dean’s words sink in. He was relieved to hear that Dean would have wanted to see him again anyway. But still, the airiness with which Dean accepted their new situation rattled him. Maybe the alpha would end things just as easily as he was starting them. On the other hand, Castiel too remembered how harmonious they had acted throughout the last couple of days. He also remembered how safe and warm and contend the alpha’s presence had made him feel. His lips twitched and he decided to give it a try of his own. It was not like he had a choice in the matter anyway.

“Thank you, Dean.”

“Anytime, gorgeous.” The alpha leaned forwards and brushed his lips over Castiel’s. “Now, can we go and pack? I believe there is an old lady behind that window who has been watching us closely since we arrived. It kinda gives me the creeps.”

Castiel raised an eyebrow. “I have seen your CV, Dean. You have been stationed in multiple war zones and been awarded for such things as bravery. But the cat lady scares you?”

“Hey, in an honest fight, I’ll face you anything. But old ladies, they are sneaky. And all you’re allowed to do is smile and nod. It’s just not fair”

Castiel chuckled lightly and exited the car.

 

>><< 

 

“I know, you said it was small … but this is _small_.”

Dean stood in the middle of Castiel’s apartment – more of a room, actually. There was just enough space for a narrow bed, a big enough closet, a cramped desk and a (very small) kitchenette. All four walls and nearly all of the floor were covered with books. At least the apartment also had a wide window and the bathroom supplied everything you needed (though, sometimes, Castiel could have killed for a bathtub).

“I know, rents are high in Sanddorn, but you work at a major consulting company – shouldn’t you be able to afford something better?”

“Well, I’m not.” Castiel felt very self-conscious and didn’t know how to react. “A male omega will earn far less than any other gender in almost any position. And a great part of my salary goes to refunding my student loans. Besides, it might be small, but at least it is in a good neighbourhood and the bus station is right at the door. So I never have to walk around town on my own.” He didn’t mention how dangerous it could be for an unmated omega to be outside on their own after dark. There were far too many alphas who considered them fair game – especially when said alphas were inebriated.

Dean caught his meaning anyway – if the low growl coming from his chest was any indication. Meanwhile, Castiel retrieved a suitcase from his closet and thought about the most important things he should bring.

“You got any boxes by chance?” The omega looked a bit confused at the alpha’s query. “You know, to get as much in one go as possible. Stuff the car full. We can come back for the rest tomorrow. I guess we’ll be needing about two or three tours. That is, if you leave the furniture behind.” Dean’s tone suggested, that he could not think of any reason to _not_ leave the furniture.

“You want me to pack _everything_?” Now the omega looked even more puzzled and the alpha just cocked an incredulous eyebrow at him. “I… I thought you wanted me to just pack some clothes and not, you know, all this… _stuff_.”

“I thought you would be moving in right away. Or do you want to keep this place?” At Castiel’s shocked look he suddenly seemed to understand. “Cas, I want us to live together. This means it should be your home as well as mine. So of course, you should bring all your … _stuff_.”

They rummaged for a while; every time Dean went out to put a box in the Impala, Castiel hid something he didn’t need Dean to see at the bottom of a box. Like for example his heat-toys or some cheesy romance novels.

When they were ready to go, the alpha looked around curiously once more; his frown landed on the small bed.

“You know, I always thought omegas liked _big_ beds.”

Castiel followed Dean’s line of vision with a sad expression. Omegas did like huge beds. It supposedly sated a nesting-urge. All his life Castiel had dreamed about a big bed with lots of covers and pillows – but he could never afford one.

“Look around, Dean, there is no room for a bigger bed than this.”

 

>><< 

 

Naturally, Dean lived in an impressive building – a parking space would probably cost more than Castiel could ever afford. The omega had done in-depth research on WinSec before he started on the project at work. He knew that the company, though not one of the biggest in numbers of personnel, had an outstanding reputation among well-to-do clientele.

WinSec hardly ever worked on long-term assignments, but they were the go-to address for tricky cases, that required a lot more than an armed squad. From what Castiel could find out, even the CBI seemed to have them on speed dial. They offered protection and high-end surveillance, but WinSec was also involved in cases as rescuing hostages or retrieving stolen objects.  And for those, the clients payed plenty, obviously entrusting the company with any kind of uncomfortable situation. On top of that, their COO Crowley seemed to be a hell of a deal maker. Besides, Castiel assumed, it must be good for publicity that the CEO looked like he could take on a whole army of hell hounds single-handedly – and from what he had read about Dean Winchester, this impression seemed to be not very far from the truth.

When they entered the lobby of the building, the couple was greeted heartily by a lanky beta guard named Garth. Dean introduced Castiel quickly as his mate and explained that he was moving in today.

The guard beamed at the omega and suddenly embraced Dean, which looked more than a bit awkward since the alpha did not move a muscle. “Good for you, Dean! I knew there was someone who could melt that big heart beneath your tough-guy-façade. You deserve someone who makes you happy!”

Dean just rolled his eyes and pulled Castiel to the elevator – both men carrying a box each. Castiel was puzzled at the guard’s openness and Dean caught his bemused look.

“He is a bit of an odd one. You know, no boundaries. But he’s a good guy – in his own weird way. You can always go to him should there be a problem. There is also a direct intercom from the apartment.”

Dean’s flat was on the top floor. When they stepped through the door, Castiel instantly felt like coming home. It was not the apartment in itself, but the strong scent of his alpha all around.

They stepped into a spacious living room with high ceilings and straight stairs leading to more rooms. There were tall windows, a big comfortable lounging area as well as a dinner table and even a small furnace.

“You want the whole tour?”

After Castiel’s shy nod, Dean showed him through every room. Downstairs lay also a wonderful kitchen with a large worktop as well as a cosy guestroom and a bathroom. Since he had not seen a broom closet so far, Castiel hoped he might get to obtain the small guestroom.

When Dean finally led him up the stairs, Castiel got flustered. He didn’t know why exactly, but he felt very nervous at the prospect of finally seeing Dean’s bedroom.

“Now the upstairs is the true reason I bought this flat.”

It wasn’t hard to see what he meant. The bedroom was spacious with a broad bed (though not as huge as a nestling), the dark furniture mixed well with the bright light floating the room. It was decorated neutrally like the rest of the apartment, but there was an inexplicable cosiness to it.

The bathroom was nothing short of ostentatious. There were two lavatories, a shower so wide you could spread both your arms and a gloriously big bathtub. Castiel could only blink. From what he had learned about Dean so far, he thought the alpha to be very down-to-earth, appreciating the simple things in life – his cabin definitely gave that impression as well as his dress style or his military background. But obviously, he also had a decadent streak.

“Awesome, isn’t it?” Dean said with a big smile. He seemed to enjoy Castiel’s astonishment very much.

Just as impressive as the bathroom, was the roof terrace. It was not huge, but it easily held a couple of chairs and a small table, two sun loungers and – of course! – a Jacuzzi.

“You like it?” Dean asked when they had finished their tour on the roof. There was something next to trepidation in the alpha’s voice.

“Of course, Dean. It is … impressive.”

Dean looked relieved and pulled the omega to his chest. He inhaled deeply at Castiel’s neck and then licked and nibbled lightly at his mark, sending shivers down the smaller man’s body. It seemed that his neck had been suddenly promoted to be Castiel’s erogenous zone number one. He bared his throat even more and let out a noise that might or might not have been a purr.

“You know, it can be really romantic up here. No one around, just the stars above.” The alpha’s hands moved lower on Castiel’s back and the omega could feel the first drops of slick running down his cleft. Obviously, he didn’t need to be in heat for Dean to arouse him in an instant. After another moment, Dean sighed and pulled back.

“There will be enough time for that later.” He said and quickly pecked the omega on the lips. “Let’s get you settled in first.”

Castiel was feeling insecure again when they reached the living room. He let his gaze wander and finally focused on a bunch of photos on a commode. Dean picked one frame up and handed it to Castiel. The picture showed Dean, the older alpha Bobby and a third man.

“This is Sammy.”

Castiel’s eyes widened in surprise – the young man was as broad as Dean and seemed to be even taller. From the alpha’s stories he had gotten the idea, that Sam was probably a beta – but in this photo, he seemed more like another alpha. Of course, you could not judge a secondary gender on looks alone – Castiel for example was rather tall for an omega and stronger than most – but more often than not the obvious guess was the right one.

“He’ll be coming over later today. Since my brother will most definitely be here a lot.”

Castiel felt a sting of nervousness. Of course, Meg had said they should start the social tour as soon as possible and from the frames before him, Castiel could tell that Dean had numerous friends and family. But Castiel didn’t. He had always been awkward around people and he didn’t want to embarrass Dean. Or maybe the alpha didn’t want him to do or say anything anyway?

When he turned around, Dean already held a box in hands, pointing at another one next to him. “Come on. Let’s start with your clothes and toiletries.”

Hesitantly, Castiel picked up the box and was surprised to see Dean walk up the stairs again. Bemused he followed. There truly didn’t seem to be any hidden broom closet upstairs since Dean went straight to his bedroom again, put the carton down and opened some drawers and doors of the huge closet.

Before Castiel could say anything, Dean had started to rearrange his clothes and thrown various items on the bed.

“This thing is way too big for my stuff anyway – and you don’t have that much either. So sharing space should not be all that difficult.” The alpha grinned and turned around. “What?”

Castiel stood in front of the bed, box still in hand, and looked rather shocked at Dean. “You want me to stay _here_?”

“Ahem… yes?” Dean looked suddenly embarrassed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “You don’t want us to…? Look, Cas, I can sleep in the guest room for a couple of nights if this makes you uncomfortable, but … being mated normally includes a certain physical relationship and … you know, close proximity. If I remember correctly, your doctor even recommended that! Of course, we don’t have to _do_ anything…” The otherwise blindingly confident alpha seemed flustered and Castiel felt the urge to put him at ease.

“Yes, of course, Dean. I just didn’t assume… you know a lot of omegas only come to the master bedroom to… when the alpha asks them to. They otherwise have an extra room, where they sleep or keep their things.”

Dean just looked blankly at him, before he finally responded: “And a lot of other mates share their rooms where they sleep together every night and have all their stuff in one big closet.” Dean stalked towards the omega, put the box in his hands finally on the floor and scented him again. “I for one would very much enjoy waking up to that scent every day. What about you? Would you rather have a separate room?”

“No!” Castiel nearly yelled. But before he could feel embarrassed, Dean’s smirk sent his butterflies dancing again. He would share a room with Dean. He would share a bed with his alpha. Just yesterday, he didn’t even want to _have_ an alpha, so this inexplicable happiness right now confused him beyond words – but at the same time he couldn’t help himself. He smiled shyly – and Dean rewarded him with a kiss.

It was meant to be short, but somehow the alpha forgot about that and the whole unpacking got delayed for a couple of minutes.

 

>><< 

 

While Dean went back outside to get the rest of the boxes out of the car, Castiel started to settle into the bedroom. The alpha hat cleared about half the space and Castiel felt downright giddy when he placed his things into the drawers and shelves. Opening one small door, he laughed out loud – he had discovered a mini fridge hidden in the closet. Inside he found some beer and soda as well as … leftover take-out?

He suddenly thought about his friend Hannah. The omega was happily mated to a good alpha and maybe Castiel just had had the same luck. Hannah too shared a room with her mate, she was still working as a nurse and she could meet Castiel whenever she wanted. He had even come over to her house from time to time and Gadreel had been nothing but polite to him. The alpha was rather docile (very much _un_ like Dean) and Castiel had been happy for his friend after her tragic past.

There were wide differences in the ways alphas treated their omega mates. Legally, the omega was still dependent on the alpha. They oversaw all financial matters as well as whether their mate was allowed to work or drive, among other things. Moreover, omegas could not accuse their mates of rape or other forms of abuse. Traditionalists often referred to the omegas’ submissive nature to justify this supposedly natural order. They were the weaker gender and meant to be ruled by alphas. And of course, their raison d’etre was to bear children – since only omegas (and theoretically alpha females) could deliver alpha and omega children.

But there was also a large civil rights movement in order to improve the omega status. And Castiel had heard that quite a few alphas let their mates live a self-determined life.

The problem was, Castiel had never actually met any alphas like that. His father as well as his older brothers were extremely old-fashioned. After he presented as an omega, Castiel had often wondered, if there was something wrong with him since he didn’t want to submit; he wanted something more from life. Something for himself.

Castiel had gotten a good look at how life as a claimed omega could be – as his brothers were older and already mated. Out of the three, Michael was probably the best – and even as a teenager Castiel had been grateful that the oldest brother was his legal guardian. Michael had mated late – Castiel had only known Matt for a couple of weeks before he had run off to college. His brother was always fixated on appearance. So he never physically hurt his beautiful omega (or not in any ways one could see), but he definitely expected full obedience. He was also one of those alphas who wanted their mates to always follow them around, preferably collared. Castiel had heard some rumours that the omega had to kneel under the desk regularly and please Michael while the alpha was at work. He shivered at the thought.

His other two brothers were a lot more vicious. Raphael had been mated to a sweet and suppliant girl for a long time. Whenever Castiel saw her, she had become more and more scrawny, had bruises all over and was pregnant again. Last thing he heard, she had died in childbed and Raphael had re-mated before the week was over. And Lucifer was even worse. He had a whole harem of omegas. It was widely frowned upon to be mated to more than one omega – but it wasn’t prohibited. Lucifer lived in a huge house with half a dozen omegas. Even before Castiel had moved away from his family, he had heard the most horrifying stories about his brother. He obviously liked to bring some alpha friends home with him.

Castiel shivered again. He wanted to push all the thoughts of his brothers away, but he could not shut out their voices in his head.

_I told you to be quiet, Castiel. You will obey me – I am your alpha until you mate. Now go on with your chores._

_There you are, bitch. I don’t know why Michael hasn’t sold you off yet. My Tami had already three children at your age._

_You need to learn to keep your head down, little brother. No one wants an omega with opinions._

Castiel started trembling all over. He felt himself dropping to the ground. He couldn’t breathe any more, he didn’t see anything – there was just complete panic.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise, the next chapter will be less soppy than this one ;)   
> But Cas needed it. :)

Chapter SEVEN

 

The first palpable thought Castiel could form was _alpha_. His alpha was everywhere. His scent stronger than ever, like he was emitting an overdose of pheromones. Castiel could feel the firm chest and strong arms of his mate around him. And it made him feel so safe and sheltered and _happy_.

He heard the alpha’s soothing voice murmuring sweet nothings; what he could make out was _sweetheart_ and _my_ _omega_ and _all_ _right_.

After he had leaned a bit more into Dean and had inhaled deeply at his neck, Castiel finally pulled back. Determined to face the world again.

They were still in Dean’s room; the alpha was sitting on the bed with Castiel in his lap.

“There you are.” Dean looked so worried – and Castiel instantly felt guilty. He had perturbed his alpha. Whereas he should do nothing but please. The omega took a deep breath – to not let the panic overwhelm him again.

“I am sorry, Dean. It will not happen again.” Dean silenced him with a featherlight kiss. Then the alpha let his lips move down the omega’s jaw and brushed over the bite mark. The action did wonders to Castiel’s nerves. He felt so connected to his mate and nothing else mattered.

“Cas … can you tell me what happened?”

Castiel froze. He didn’t know what to say; but he didn’t want to lie either.

“I was just outside the door when I felt this panic wave coming from you.” Dean tried again. “I ran upstairs and found you here on the floor, shaking and merely conscious. I was so scared, Cas. Please, tell me what happened.”

Castiel wondered at that. He didn’t know what puzzled him more – that Dean was so obviously worried about him or that he admitted his fear. Alphas didn’t do that. They were fearless warriors – or at least that is what they broadcasted. After a few more heartbeats, Castiel decided to tell the truth – and live with whatever consequences.

“I was thinking about my brothers. My alpha brothers.”

“The ones you never got along with?” Castiel nodded. “Tell me about them.”

“My parents had a very _traditional_ relationship. My father believed strongly that alphas were superior to every other gender by nature. Especially omegas – who simply exist to be bred. My mother always had to obey and try her hardest to please him in every way. My brothers… they grew up with the same beliefs. When I presented, my parents had already passed away and I lived with my eldest brother after the others had already moved out.” Castiel took a deep breath. “I have seen how they treated their mates. None of them were allowed to speak up –  and they would be punished if they didn’t obey at once. I have seen them beaten and scared. And I realized that they were of no importance to my brothers. Other than to have a mindless servant who would give them a bunch of children.

“Of course, they also implemented their doctrines in me. Michael wanted to raise me into a _perfect mate_. But I never… I wanted to go to school and do something with my life. Fortunately, Gabriel helped me and I ran away – to the other end of the country. Otherwise I would have been bartered away to one of Michael’s _associates_ at the age of nineteen.” He shivered at the mere thought – however life would be with Dean, he had no doubt it would still be better than with that old sleazebag Zachariah Adler. “All my life, I have been scared of ever getting claimed. I do not think you are like my brothers, Dean. You have been nothing but kind to me. But I cannot help feeling anxious.”

Dean hadn’t interrupted Castiel during his short speech and now the alpha closed him tightly in his arms again. Castiel could feel that the alpha was trying to appease both of them – he could clearly scent the anger rolling off Dean in waves. Oddly enough, it didn’t scare him, if only because he noticed how hard Dean tried to calm himself down.

“I am so sorry, Cas.” The omega looked up, bewildered. “For what happened to you. _And_ because I didn’t talk to you sooner. Your doctor emphasized, I should talk to you about our bond as soon as possible – and I tried to win you over with Jacuzzis and big closets.” He laughed nervously and Castiel couldn’t have stopped his answering smile had he wanted to.

“I don’t want a slave, Castiel. I want a partner. And I definitely don’t want you to obey and submit at my every whim. Partly because I generally do not believe that just because you are an alpha means you are better than anyone else. And partly because I want to spend my life with an actual _person_.  

“I do not expect you to clean the house or cook unless you want to. And I´m not going to put a collar or a chain on you, just the thought is disgusting to me. You can always speak your mind. You can always tell me no. You can keep your job and see your friends any time you want to. And I want you to feel completely at ease with _my_ friends and family. You do not have to act differently when we are in company. And I don’t plan to make decisions for you and I will not command voice you into things you don’t want to do. I will never force myself on you and I will never hurt you.

“I want someone to talk to, to share my life with. Someone lying beside me at night, someone to laugh with, someone to come home to. Someone to set me straight when I’m being a dick.” He chuckled lightly.

With every word the alpha said, some tension left Castiel’s body. He leaned even more into the taller man – which was fairly easy since he was still comfortably seated in Dean’s lap. Oddly enough, he believed this almost-stranger. There was no reason for Dean to lie to him and his scent was so calming that Castiel suspected no duplicity behind his words.

“I cannot promise you, I won´t get bossy from time to time – I know myself better than that. But you never have to blindly do as I say.” Dean took a deep breath, almost blushing. “And I’m not just gonna _breed_ _you_ , Cas. This will be a decision we should make together – in one way or the other. And definitely not before we both got used to this whole mating-situation.”

“But … do you want children? Hypothetically?” Castiel could not believe he had just asked that. But it seemed utterly important right now. And, considering their situation, it was a legitimate question.

“I… yes. I would like my own pups. But it’s not the end of the world if that won’t happen.” He hesitated a moment, but curiosity got the better of him. “What about you, Cas?”

“I’ve never allowed myself to consider even the possibility.” Without thinking, the omega ran a hand over his stomach. “But I think I would like to bear your children, Dean.” Realizing what he just said, Castiel blushed deeply. But the low rumble coming from Dean’s chest, showed him that the alpha was immensely pleased with his confession.

“Now it´s your turn, Cas.” The omega frowned. “What do you expect from a mate?”

“I want… “ Castiel took a deep breath and summoned his courage. “Same as you, I guess. I want someone to share my life with. Someone I can trust, who will care for me as I will care for them. And I want to be treated like an equal.” He licked his lips nervously. “I want to be able to lean into my mate, without being automatically seen as weak.”

Dean gently cupped his face and made Castiel look him directly in the eye. “I would never ever think you weak, Cas. What you just told me, about your family and how you managed to make a life on your own – that took a lot of strength.”

“Thank you, Dean. For spelling everything out for me.” Castiel smiled softly. He wondered about how much he had been doing this since he met Dean, smiling and even laughing. “I fear my encounters with alphas have never been… pleasant. I will try to be less prejudiced.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes, enjoying each other’s proximity. Castiel’s face was practically glued to Dean’s neck while the alpha’s fingers wandered over his back. Suddenly Dean’s hands stopped and he tensed.

“What about the other one?”

“Other one?”

“The one alpha you had slept with beside me?” Castiel just looked confused. “Has he not been _pleasant_?”

Dean looked agitated – and it only worsened when he noticed the clear scent of fear and distress coming off Castiel. The alpha seemed to grow and exude _danger_ through all his pores. Castiel on the other hand felt like he had been dumped in cold water. He didn’t want to talk about Alastair. Not now when he had just been so content in his mate’s embrace.

Castiel shrank back from the alpha – the threatening scent making him uncomfortable. The instant Dean noticed the covering pose of his mate though, he visibly made an attempt to relax again. “I am sorry. You don’t have to tell me. Not now. Or ever.”

“Just not today, Dean. I want to be happy today.” Castiel smiled shyly at his handsome mate and then shrieked when the alpha suddenly stood. He held on as best he could while Dean walked down the stairs and finally set him on a chair at the dinner table.

“You know, I can walk, freshly claimed as I may be.” Dean had started for the kitchen but he turned around and kissed Castiel’s temple gently.

“Maybe I’m just looking for excuses to keep my hands on you.” He flashed that wonderful boyish smirk that had Castiel’s butterflies doing flip-flops.

“We have been mated for less than 24 hours. I don’t think you need any more excuses than that.” Castiel marvelled at his own attempt at flirting. It was _fun_.

 

>><< 

 

Dean had prepared them some sandwiches and they ate in companionable silence for a while.

“Sammy should be here anytime now. I thought he might be a good start of the welcome tour since there is no one I am closer to. And as I said before, he definitely shows up a lot. I would also like to leave and pick up a couple of things while he’s here. You know, give you two the opportunity to bond.”

Castiel tensed. He still would have preferred if they delayed the meeting-anyone-not-his-mate-part. Especially an alpha. He assumed that Sam would have the same open mind about omegas that Dean had – especially since Dean had told him, his brother was working as a lawyer at AMC. The company did social work – and a huge part of it was focused on omega rights. If you had an abusive mate – they would try to help you. They even operated omega houses, where one could hide from their alpha. It was a bit tricky, considering alphas could always track down their mates, but many didn’t bother to try. AMC also were the driving force behind some legal movements. Thanks to them, these days unmated omegas could get something like a restraining order against alphas – meaning if the beforehand reported alpha manipulated an omega to submit to them during heat, they could get arrested for rape. It was a complicated process, granted, and you had to accuse a _specific_ alpha – but if this bill had been passed before Castiel had met Alastair…

Even if his brother was probably as tolerant towards omegas as Dean himself, Castiel was still not very good with _people_. He never really knew what to say and he didn’t understand any references and he also had a problem with irony quite often.

“Hey, Cas, what’s up?” Dean must have picked up on Castiel’s growing concern for he took his hands and looked at him alarmed. When the omega hesitated, Dean said firmly: “Tell me.”

“I am just nervous, really. I am not good with people. I get awkward.” He paused. “And what if he doesn’t _like_ me? As your brother, he will probably want the best mate for you. And I am not nearly pretty enough and I’m kind of old and … _weird_.”

Dean had the audacity to laugh at his mate’s outburst. He sobered up quickly though, when he saw Castiel’s hurt expression. “I am sorry, baby. But unlike you, I don’t have the slightest doubt that Sammy will love you. And about that other nonsense? First of all, you are gorgeous.”  At that Dean leaned in and nipped at his mark. It made Castiel shiver – and though he knew he was not beautiful, at that moment it was enough that Dean seemingly thought so. “And old? I mean _old_? What are you, Cas, 29? 30?”

“I am 33. And that is quite old for an omega to be claimed.”

“Well I have you know, that I am 36. And I do not consider myself a dinosaur.” The alpha chuckled and Castiel didn’t point out that there was a huge difference in the two genders’ average mating age. Most omegas were much younger than their alpha mates.

“And you being weird? I call that _adorable_.” The alpha pecked Castiel on the lips. “Just relax and be yourself, Cas. No pressure. And if you don’t get along, I promise, I won’t leave.”

Castiel was still anxious, but not as much as he had been. It composed him a lot, that Dean would not leave him alone with a giant alpha if he felt uncomfortable.

 

>><< 

 

As it turned out, this was not going to be a problem at all. Since Dean’s younger brother was in fact a giant – but he was also _not_ an alpha.

The doorbell rang and a few seconds later, Dean enthusiastically introduced his _baby_ _brother_ to his new mate.

Castiel just blinked.

“So this is Castiel. Castiel meet my brother, Sammy.”

“It’s Sam, actually.” The tall man smiled warmly, greeted and held out a hand. For a moment, Castiel was too busy with all the blinking and staring – but then he remembered his manners and took the offered hand gladly.

Dean’s brother was an _omega_.

He would have never guessed it – not just because of the picture. Whenever Dean had talked about him, Castiel might have noticed a protective undertone – but nothing that would have insinuated that Dean thought his brother to be weak or inferior. Quite the opposite: he had always emphasised how smart his little brother was. And just the fact that he had never mentioned Sam’s gender! Castiel had no doubt that his older brothers referred to him only as _the omega_ (or worse).

After he overcame his initial surprise, Castiel soon opened up to Dean’s brother. It was hard not to. The young man seemed so warm and genuinely happy to meet Castiel. They were all seated on the sofa and exchanged a few pleasantries. Sam noticed the piles of books Castiel had brought with him and the omegas soon found out, that they were both total fantasy-fans.

Dean openly rolled his eyes when the conversation turned to _A song of ice and fire_. “Well, I rather just watch the show. More blood, more nudity, less words.” With that he stood and went to the kitchen to get something to drink.

“You know, I am so glad to see my brother settle down. Especially with someone who has such good taste. Maybe you even get him to read a whole book someday.” Sam chuckled just as Dean came back with some soda bottles.

“I doubt it. But Cas will certainly try to make this place look like a library.” Castiel tensed, just slightly – Dean’s tone was light, but he still felt insecure in his new role, even after their talk. He felt Dean’s hand on his thigh and let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.

“Just a joke, sweetheart.” The alpha whispered quietly.

Sam let out an amused chuckle. “Maybe you can even make my brother stop acting like a complete jerk half of the time.”

This time Castiel froze clearly. He didn’t dare look at Dean. He feared how the alpha would react to such an insult. If he had ever been talking like that to any of his brothers, they would have leashed out violently. They had punished him for lesser things.

But Dean just let out a chuckle of his own and squeezed Castiel’s hand. The omega wondered at the brothers’ companionship. The way these two interacted as equals was so very different from his own upbringing.

When Sam had been in the apartment for about half an hour, Dean excused himself to pick up a few groceries. By that time, Castiel felt completely at ease and he even looked forward to spending some time alone with another omega.

“I meant what I said earlier. You are good for him, Cas.” The omega blushed deeply, he was overjoyed with the other omega’s obvious approval.

“Now, what had you so shocked when I came in? The fact that I do not look like your stereotypical omega?” There was no edge to the question, Sam just seemed curious.

“No… the fact that you _are_ an omega. Dean never mentioned it and I was somehow expecting an alpha.” Castiel pondered for a bit. “I mean, I have seen a picture of you. But Dean never said anything that indicated…”

“Yeah, to Dean this whole secondary gender thing isn’t all that important. Then again, he is an alpha so he never had to deal with the downsides of gender typification.” Sam shrugged. “But that doesn’t mean that he hadn’t made a big deal about it in the past. And sometimes, I was really pissed at him.” Castiel looked up in query.

“You know, after I decided I wanted to go to college – Dean showed up all the time, completely at random. He just came by, growled threateningly at anyone who even looked at me and made a whole show about _you better stay away from my little brother_. I don’t think I have to tell you about his scent – so almost every alpha and a whole lot of betas didn’t even dare to greet me. When he wasn’t in the country, he even made Bobby or Rufus stop by.”

Castiel looked almost longingly and the other omega picked up on it. “What?”

“Nothing. I just … I wished I had a brother like that. Especially in school.”

Sam looked rather abashed. He opened his mouth twice like he was about to ask the obvious question, but then he dismissed it. “I know I am lucky to have him. I have been since we were kids.”

Castiel looked up, curious to learn more about the two brothers.

“Dean presented as an alpha when he was only fourteen – I was just ten at the time. He was suddenly so strong, for a moment I was sure that he would either leave or throw our dad out. And believe me, our father was not what you would call demure either. But Dean managed to reign himself in and stayed with me and dad. For my sake, I am sure.”

Things like that happened. Of course, alpha fathers always wanted alpha offspring – but they better be less dominant than themselves. Otherwise, the newly empowered son or daughter might easily kick out their dads and become the head of the family. Or, if the odds weren’t clear, they might just leave. No matter how old, as soon as an alpha presented they were considered as adults.

“Our father… after our mum had died, when I was just six months old, he lost it. He could hardly keep a job since he had to leave the army, he drank too much, got in every bar-fight he could find – and Dean was the one who made sure we had enough to eat. He brought me to school and told me jokes when I was scared of the monsters under my bed.

“Before our mother died, my dad must have been a good man. Or so everyone says, I don’t remember. I just remember a man who could not have cared less for his sons. And he got even worse when I presented as an omega. I was sixteen.  He obviously expected me to be another alpha and he did not beat around the bush that he was disappointed to have raised a _useless_ _bitch_.”

Sam took a deep breath and Castiel had problems to compose himself in turn. He knew this treatment all too well. “A few days later, he came home and proclaimed he had found me a mate – some other drunk whom he owed money.

“That was the day Dean snapped. In short, he threw the old man out and proclaimed legal guardianship over me. A couple of years later we heard that Dad had drunk himself to death. Dean quit school and started to work at Bobby’s garage. When I wanted to go to college, Dean enlisted in the military to make more money – to get me the best education I could imagine. Of course, with his skills and the army-favoured dominance level, he climbed quickly in ranks.”

Sam smiled sadly. “That is probably the thing he regrets the most. You know, he always wanted to be a mechanic and I think he would have been more than happy to take over Bobby’s garage one day. But he was convinced, that he needed to provide… better. And when my brother sets his mind to something, stupid as it might be, there is no force on earth that will stop him.” He chuckled, this time real amusement in his eyes. “He even started to read up on omegas and helped me through my heats as best as he could. And believe me, I truly am grateful for my brother – he adjusted his whole life to care for me and protect me. Even after I had been a horrible brother to him.” Castiel looked up, surprised, but Sam just continued. “But that is a story for another time.”

Castiel clamped his mouth shut – though he was more than curious to what Sam was referring to. The other omega realised his inner battle.

“Let’s just say I used to be mated to a manipulative bitch – but that does not excuse the things I have said to my brother. After he had taken care of me throughout our whole lives.” Sam looked truly ashamed – whatever had happened between the two brothers, it seemed the omega had not yet forgiven himself completely.

“I wish I had such a brother.” Castiel swallowed. “My three alpha brothers are very old-fashioned. You know, the omegas-live-to-submit-type. And college can be hard without protection. I do have a beta brother who I am very close to – but it is not the same. And most of my encounters with alphas have been painful – in one way or the other.” There was an underlying question behind Castiel’s words. He did not want to talk about his fears, but he pleaded silently for affirmation. And Sam had seen enough timid omegas to easily pick up on it.

“My brother is a good man, Castiel. A good alpha. He will care for you and he will never hurt you.” The giant omega looked sincere. “You have ever heard of the Reign-Diagram?”

“You mean the theory that some alphas are driven by the urge to supress while others first instinct is to protect?” Of course Castiel had heard about that theory. As had every omega who ever read any kind of romance books.

“Exactly. I have been working with mated omegas and alphas for a couple of years now – and I can tell you, that I am positive about this theory. More importantly, Castiel, my brother is inherently programmed to protect. He is convinced he is responsible for everyone he considers part of his pack. And as his mate, believe me, he is gonna be fixated to see you safe and healthy and happy. He is bonded to you now and he won’t take that lightly.”

“But he didn’t even want to mate me! It just happened!” Castiel blurted out, a lot louder than he had intended to.

“Maybe. But he has taken you in heat, so I am fairly convinced that he liked you – and wanted more than just a one-time-thing.” Castiel looked at Sam doubtfully. “For the last dozen years or so my brother had stayed away from omegas in heat. With one exception – but that is another story.

“Now, I am not saying my brother has been celibate. He _is_ an alpha. He just stayed away from heats. And the fact that he had not simply seen you home, tells me he was quite taken with you. Well that – and the text he sent me last Friday. You know, _before_ you came knocking on his door.”

Castiel blushed and he felt the butterflies doing a whole choreography of the lord of the dance. He itched to ask the omega what Dean had said about him – but he refrained himself and just worked with the happy smirk on Sam’s face.

“Thank you, Sam. I feel much better now.” Castiel smiled shyly and Sam leaned over to hug his new brother-in-law.

“I am really glad you’re part of our pack now, Cas.”

At that exact moment, the front door opened and Dean came in with a paper bag in hands. Castiel felt a bit embarrassed that he had caught the two omegas hugging – but the alpha looked very happy about it. When Sam finally said his goodbye, he invited Castiel officially to a barbeque he and his beta mate Jess would host on Thursday. Dean chimed in, that this was a family tradition – they met every week either at Dean’s place or Sam’s. And since Castiel was family now, he had a fix date every Thursday. The omega blushed happily.

 

>><< 

 

After Sam left, the newly mated couple stashed more of Castiel’s things (i.e. mainly books) in shelves and cupboards around the flat. They prepared dinner together and even though they had known each other for just a couple of days, Castiel wondered at how in tune they seemed to be. For the first time in his life he felt truly at home. He was still anxious about his future but at the same time he felt weirdly liberated. He even joked with Dean and was overjoyed every time he made the alpha laugh.

It was still early when Dean suggested they should go to bed – long day and all that. When he prepared himself in the bathroom, Castiel became nervous again. It was odd, after all he had shared a bed with Dean before. And they had obviously mated before. But now he didn’t even know what to wear! Or rather if he should wear anything. Did Dean want him to come back naked?

In the end, he went with PJ-pants and a plain t-shirt. When he returned to the bedroom he could see Dean had just stripped down to his boxer-briefs – but the alpha didn’t seem to mind Castiel’s clothes. Dean occupied the bathroom after him and Castiel hesitantly lied on the bed, under the covers. The alpha soon came back – he turned the lights off and put his arms around the omega. Then he kissed his mate’s neck and murmured “Good night, Cas.”

Castiel felt puzzled. They were just going to sleep now? He did not know what to make of this. He was a freshly claimed omega in bed with his alpha and now they would not mate? Had he displeased Dean already? Alphas were highly sexual creatures, everyone knew that. And Castiel had just been claimed! He could scent his own distress which meant of course…

“Cas? What’s wrong?”

“You don’t want me?” The omega could not hold back the question if his life had depended on it. He felt rejected.

“Oh God, Cas.” The alpha groaned. Then he moved even closer and Castiel could feel the alpha’s half-hard cock against his thigh. “Of course I want you, Cas. I’d have to be a saint to not want you. But you’ve had a though day. And you’re just out of heat. You need to sleep.”

Castiel let the words sink in. Dean did not reject him – he was being considerate. The omega’s breathing became more and more regular. Dean muzzled lightly at his neck. “I promise you, Cas, I am ridiculously attracted to you – but right now, we should just sleep. Both of us.”

After Castiel relaxed he had to admit he was pretty much worn out. He closed his eyes – and he could hardly get out a “G’night Dean” before he was asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be the right time to admit that I wrote this fic partly for the obvious reason – some Destiel love – but also to have my very own SPN-happy-place. Where everyone is alive (and happy, mostly, kind of). There will be a lot of different SPN-characters in the next chapters, all alive and kicking. As they should be. ;-)

Chapter EIGHT

This time Castiel woke up, he was just as aware of the rapid change in his life as he had been the day before. The difference was – he felt no fear, just utter bliss. He was home and curled up in the arms of his alpha. Castiel lay half on top of Dean, head resting comfortably on the alpha’s chest while Dean had placed his arms around him. Castiel never wanted to get up – this was perfect. After a couple of minutes, the omega turned his head slightly to get a look at the watch. He jerked up. 11:14 am? _Eleven_? He could not remember the last time he had slept in that long.

The low chuckle next to him pulled him back to the present. “Morning, gorgeous,” his alpha rumbled, and then he pushed himself up und kissed the omega. This was quite a way to be greeted in the morning. Castiel could definitely get used to that. Until…

“Wait.” He pushed the alpha back gently. “I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet.”

“I have waited for some time for you to wake up.” Dean just leaned back in again.  “I fear my patience just ran out.” Before Castiel knew what happened he lied on his back with Dean on top. The alpha’s tongue was invading his mouth again and Castiel forgot everything about potential morning breath.

They stayed like this for a couple of minutes. Sometime, Castiel’s brain registered that Dean was already dressed. The alpha finally pulled back. “Coffee’s already waiting. You want some eggs and bacon?”

Castiel nodded shyly, noticing that again the alpha was in full-on caring mood. Doing things that traditionally were the omega’s job. He had no time to protest though, since Dean already hopped off the bed and was on his way downstairs.

After he had washed and dressed, Castiel followed suit. The alpha had prepared an extensive breakfast again. “I am sorry, Dean. I don’t normally sleep that long.”

“Don’t think about it, Cas. As I said last night, you needed a good long sleep.” Castiel blushed a little, thinking of their conversation from the night before. “Besides, there is nothing wrong with sleeping in.” But the omega guessed that Dean had been up for some time. He hardly ate anything which meant he probably already had breakfast before Castiel woke up. The omega had also noticed the open notebook on the couch when he came down.

“Thank you, Dean. This is delicious.”

After a while, Castiel asked: “What have you planned for today?”

“Well, to go on with the meeting marathon, my PA Kevin will come by any time now since he needs me to sign some papers anyway. I say _PA_ – what I mean is that he basically runs my business.” Castiel raised an eyebrow. “Hey, it’s all about hiring the right people. And that boy is _brilliant_. The only worry I have with him, is that he takes a break every now and then. You know, he’s basically working 24/7. He is also an omega.”

Castiel flinched slightly at that. Dean’s _personal_ _assistant_ was an omega? And he was working all the time. Castiel did not want to think about what his work entailed exactly or why he suddenly felt his chest tighten at the thought of another omega so close to Dean. But it seemed that his mate was able to pick up on every slight change of scent. The alpha took Castiel’s hand.

“You know, you were nervous before you met Sam. And everything turned out fine, right?” Obviously, the alpha thought Castiel’s scent had turned off because he was nervous about meeting the assistant. Good. But the thought of Sam brought back something the omega had told him. Something about one exception to Dean’s no-heat-rule? Castiel did not like to think of this at all. Maybe this was a practical solution for his work life. Dean would _assist_ the omega during his heat and in between they could discuss professional matters.

He knew he had no right to, but Castiel suddenly developed a strong resentment against his mate’s assistant. He let out a sound that could not be mistaken for anything but a growl. Dean looked at him in surprise and Castiel was even more shocked. In his whole life, he had never growled. Alphas growled, maybe some betas, but certainly not omegas!

Dean leaned forwards and took Castiel’s other hand in his. “Where did that come from?” Castiel took a deep breath. He had found out that Dean could be very stubborn when he wanted an answer and right now the alpha seemed very curious as to what had caused this reaction from the omega. Castiel tried – but could not think of a good pretence and he had never been a convincing liar.

The omega gulped. “Nothing. Much. I was just thinking of your assistant…“ Dean only looked at him confused. “And you know… the kind of relationship you two… might… have?”

Understanding glimmered in Dean’s eyes and the alpha had the nerve to wink at his mate. “Well, he is my personal assistant so he takes care of basically everything I am involved with. Especially things I really don’t like to do.” The alpha leaned back and casually spread his legs. “He has a better grip on my schedule than I do and he accompanies me everywhere. We spend a lot of time together, obviously. When I work late, he works la…” His features sobered up quickly, when he noticed the way Castiel’s scent turned more sour with every word.

“For goodness sake, Cas! He is my employee. I might have a lot of faults, but I would never utilise my position like that. Besides, he is just a pup.” Castiel flinched a bit at the sudden outburst, but at the same time he felt relieved. Dean seemed truly shocked at the notion of having a somewhat intimate relationship with his assistant.

“I’m sorry, that was a dick move.” The alpha leaned forward and took Castiel’s hand again. “I hired Kevin because he is fucking brilliant, not because I consider him a compliant omega. I also think of him as a friend – which for me is quite important since we _do_ work closely with each other and I am not good with people I don’t like. You know, keeps my alpha in check when I’m not constantly on edge.” He laid one hand under Castiel’s chin and made the omega look him in the eyes. After a moment, he bent down and kissed his mark on the omega’s neck. When the alpha looked at him again, Castiel felt more confident than before.

“I am sorry, Dean. I should not have presumed such a thing. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

That put the smirk back on the alpha’s face. “I admit I am not a good enough man to not enjoy my mate getting all jealous over me. But please know there is absolutely no reason for it. Just meet with Kevin and keep an open mind. If you do not feel comfortable with him, we can talk about it again once you got to know him, ok? Maybe find another position for him or whatever.”

Castiel blinked. Dean would consider looking for a new assistant – just because Castiel felt threatened? Before he could form an answer, the doorbell rang. Dean kissed him on the forehead and made for the door. Castiel hesitantly stood and took a few steps towards the entrance himself.

“I am sorry, Dean. I tried, but I don’t think the Dark Lord himself could have held her back.” The words came instead of a greeting. Castiel looked curiously at the door and the first thing he saw was a shock of red hair swirling in the room and a young woman hugging his mate tightly.

“Congrats, Dean! I am sure you just forgot to invite me here with Kevin. Now, where is he?” She looked around the room and the second she noticed Castiel, she already made her way towards him. For a moment, Castiel could take the scene in like it was played in slow-motion. Next to the door was a young male omega who looked rather sheepishly around. Castiel’s mate had turned towards him, facial expression somewhere between annoyed and amused. And an excruciatingly cheery looking beta practically stormed up to him and before he could brace himself, she had put both her arms around him and gave him a no less tight hug then she had just implemented on his mate.

Somewhere he could hear the words “Don’t suffocate him, red.”

The young woman leaned back and looked Castiel up and down, still widely smiling. Castiel on the other hand was just standing there, confused. He had never been greeted by a stranger in such a manner and he didn’t know how to respond. Obviously, there was no need for him to do anything since the woman before him just shouted out: “Oh, we are going to be such good friends.” And she hugged him again, leaving Castiel only more confused than before.

By the time the beta had taken a step back again, the other two men were standing next to her. The alpha finally took pity on Castiel’s bewilderment and took one of the omega’s hands in his (causing a happy giggle from the beta). Dean cleared his throat.

“Cas, meet Kevin. Kevin, this is my mate, Castiel.” The short omega greeted friendly and Castiel’s first impression was that the young man seemed genuinely nice. They shook hands – somewhat awkwardly with Dean not letting go of Castiel’s other one. The beta puffed out air impatiently and looked sternly at the alpha. But Dean seemed not to notice, though the corner of his mouth twitched.

“Why don’t we sit on the couch and have a little chat?”

“Oh, all right! I should have waited, but… how could I? You _mated_ , Dean! And I was just so curious! And Sam already got to meet him!” Dean let out a chuckle at the beta’s outburst, but he finally introduced her.

“Well, Cas, this mouthy madcap here is Charlie. She also works at WinSec since she is a genius with computers and needs a job that keeps her from doing anything too criminal. She is also one of the greatest geeks in the universe and unfortunately for me, my best friend.”

The beta, Charlie, punched Dean playfully and then twitched towards Castiel. The omega braced himself for another hug, but in the end Charlie just beamed at him and said: “Hi, Cas!”

“Hello. It is really nice to meet friends of Dean’s.” Nice – and mind-boggling.

Like they had the day before with Sam, they all sat comfortably on the couch and engaged into light conversation. Charlie seemed even more enthusiastic about his book selection, though she was utterly shocked that he – although he knew the books by heart – had never seen any movies of the Lord of the Rings _or_ Harry Potter. And he had obviously no knowledge about Star Wars whatsoever. Dean readily supported the beta’s proposal to introduce him to a list of movies he must absolutely watch. Even Kevin, who was by no means as outspoken as the other two, chipped in that the world was meaningless without Star Trek. After that comment, a discussion arose about which was superior – Star Wars or Star Trek. Castiel didn’t really understand it – as far as he could make out, those two were just completely different things.

He was definitely not the biggest talker of the group, but he still enjoyed the time with Dean and his friends a lot. They were nice and funny – and also completely at ease around Dean. There was no display of dominance in the way Dean just laughed it off when the other two – quite fiercely – accused him of being too narrow-minded to see the profound bond between a Spock and some Bones.

By now, Castiel had watched Dean interact with three of his closest pack members. It was an old-fashioned term, but Sam had used it before and Castiel began to realise that this was how Dean saw his friends and family. As his pack. Castiel felt something warm spreading in his stomach at the thought of now being part of this group as well. Especially since he could see how affectionate Dean treated them. Moreover, everyone Castiel had met so far seemed to be genuinely happy for Dean to have mated with Castiel. On the one hand, this showed how much they cared for the alpha, for they wanted him to settle down well suited. On the other side, Castiel was truly relieved that so far no one seemed to object the alpha’s choice of omega. Though _choice_ might be a strong word, given their circumstances.

Charlie and Kevin stayed for over two hours – but to Castiel it seemed more like two minutes since he enjoyed himself immensely. He could not say, what they had talked about exactly (not only because he did not understand half of the references and in-jokes), but he knew he had laughed quite a lot. And every time he did, Charlie had regarded him with favour, like he had just proven himself worthy of something.

 

>><< 

 

After Dean had showed his friends out, the alpha came back to Castiel, both men still grinning with amusement. “So? You like them?”

Castiel actually chuckled at that. “Yes, Dean, very much. They are very kind. And funny.”

Dean looked pleased – and relieved. “Good. I really want you to get along with my brother and my closest friends. Would be kind of awkward if you didn’t.” Dean groaned. “But I can only imagine what they will gossip about at the office now. Just don’t be surprised if all my co-workers know more about you than I do when we finally visit.”

Castiel had always been a very introvert person and the mere thought of someone gossiping about him behind his back would normally make him feel uneasy. But since this time, it was about him and his _mate_ (combined with his good mood) – he didn’t really care.

The couple cleaned up the nearly forgotten remnants of their breakfast and Castiel started to ponder about what _his_ colleagues would be babbling about right now. Yesterday, he had just mailed his attestation and had written a short note that he had mated and would therefore need to take two weeks off. He had also summarised his work tablets. Would his co-workers be surprised that he got claimed? Everyone knew he was on strong medication, not to mention he was rather independent and boring and not that attractive. And kind of old (no matter what Dean said). He was quite positive that they did not really expect him to come back anyway, even though Castiel had emphasised that he would.

He let himself imagine how he would come back for a moment – obviously claimed, with the scent of an all-dominant alpha radiating from him. Pam would be thrilled – she might even hug him as tight as Charlie. Though normally she would rather tap him on the behind. But maybe she would not dare any more. Castiel’s grin died suddenly. Pam would be excited, yes, but then he thought about facing Naomi or Uriel. With the claim of Dean so strong on him. Dean Winchester – of all people! His happy mood suddenly turned sour. How would he explain _that_?!

He felt a callused hand on his cheek. “It’s like a roller coaster with you, Cas. I guess your doctor was right about you getting all kinds of mood swings.” There was no reproach in the alpha’s eyes, just worry. Castiel took a deep breath and turned his head slightly – so he could kiss his mate’s palm. It was stupid to fret over work right now. There would be enough time for that later. Dean seemed conciliated, but he still frowned lightly.

Castiel stepped back and put the last item in the dishwasher. “It’s nothing. Stupid, really. I was just thinking that when I get back to work, everyone will know I have been claimed by you. I mean, everyone will know that I am now mated to _Dean_ _Winchester_.”

Even before Castiel turned back around he noticed the sudden change of atmosphere. He felt shivers running down his spine and when he looked at his alpha again, he got even more nervous. He was not afraid, not really, but there was definitely something wrong.

Dean just stood there and stared at Castiel, completely motionless. The alpha didn’t blink nor did he seem to even breathe. It was inexplicably scary. It made the omega think of a big dangerous wolf, ready to lunge out. And in this metaphor Castiel was undoubtedly the tiny defenceless rabbit.

Still, the omega was more confused than scared, although he instinctively bared his neck, practically offering Dean’s mark up to the alpha. This gesture did seem to appease his mate and Dean slowly prowled forwards. The alpha let one hand fall on the omega’s shoulder, his thump gently stroking over the mark. As every time before, this kind of attention to his neck sent shivers down Castiel’s body, right to his toes. Dean leaned in, inhaled deeply and then licked along Castiel’s neck once. It was a slow movement, right from his collarbone over the bite to his jaw. Castiel felt like he had been marked once again and he couldn’t hold back a tiny mewl. He felt slick pooling between his cheeks and really – how did this happen? Just a second ago he had compared himself to a trapped rabbit and now one tiny action from his mate had him aroused all of a sudden.

In the way Dean’s nostrils flared and at the rumble the alpha let out, Castiel could see his reaction did not go unnoticed. The alpha stepped even closer and with the kitchen counter right behind him, Castiel was practically trapped. Not that he minded. Dean set his arms on both sides of Castiel, pushing fully into him (had he always been this tall?), so that the omega really had no room to move. Finally, the alpha growled lowly into Castiel’s ear.

“Yes, omega. Everyone will know that you have been claimed. Everyone who looks at you or merely scents you will know that you…“ Dean licked at the mark again. “..belong…” The alpha let his teeth scratch over Castiel’s neck, biting lightly. “…to _me_.” With that, Dean started to assault Castiel’s neck in earnest; all lips, teeth and tongue – and the omega bared even more for his alpha while he could feel a whole pool of slick forming in his underwear.

Somewhere in his hindbrain, he suddenly realised what had caused this possessive behaviour of the alpha. Torn between the urge to just submit and let his alpha do whatever he pleased and the intent to explain himself, Castiel started mumbling: “I did not mean it like that, Dean.” He did seem to get through since the alpha drew back a little and looked straight at his omega.

“I just meant … I’ve worked at Crossroads for years now and I have never before been allowed to actually interact with a client. And now I was invited to a meeting for the first time – and the next thing that happens is me being claimed by said client! You have to admit – this is kind of embarrassing for me.” Dean kept glaring at him, though after a moment he nodded stiffly. Castiel, who still could feel slick running down his hole, wanted to appease his disgruntled alpha even more.

“This does not mean I don’t like wearing your mark. I like it very much.” He did not know what had made him so bold, but he let his hands wander under Dean’s shirt, stroking that wonderful skin. “I like that everyone knows I have been claimed by you.” He let out a moan since Dean had suddenly gripped his ass quite harshly and started to massage his flesh, at the same time causing wonderful feelings in his crotch that was now pressed against Dean’s.

“Tell me more, my omega.” Dean whispered into Castiel’s ear and his voice had dropped so low, the omega assumed he rather felt than heard it. When Dean opened Castiel’s pants and started to play a finger over his now exposed rim, Castiel let out another whine.

“I have been thinking about this, even before you bit me. When you marked me with… in your cabin.” He hissed in pleasure when Dean pushed the first finger into his hole, teasing slowly in and out while more slick kept running down his thighs.

The alpha rumbled appreciatively. “More.”

“I wanted everyone to know that Dean Winchester had put his mark on me.” A second finger followed, now slightly stroking over Castiel’s prostate. His knees gave out, but he was still firmly pressed between his alpha and the counter. “I wanted everyone to scent me on you. To know I am yours.”

Dean picked Castiel up, surprisingly his now three fingers still buried deep in the omega’s ass. Castiel had been laid out on the kitchen table before he knew what was happening. He lied on his back, pants pulled down and his hole just over the edge. His small cock was standing erect against his still clothed stomach and he suddenly let out another moan when Dean started massaging his balls while his other hand was still drumming in and out of him. “More, omega.”

Castiel could hardly concentrate on the alpha’s words. He was completely overcome by arousal and the only thing he wanted was for his alpha to knot him. But he obviously would not get what he craved before he did as Dean asked him. So he desperately searched for more words and spoke the first things that came to his lust-driven mind.

“I love to have your scent on me. That everyone knows I am bonded to such a strong alpha. I love the thought of spending my nights with you. To be filled with your knot while no one else will ever dare touch me again.”

“But you will let _me_ have you, yes?”

“Yes, Alpha. I want you. I want to feel you in me. I want to be filled up with you!” That seemed to give his alpha the final push and in one swift movement he threw the omega’s legs over his shoulders and Castiel was instantly filled to the brim with his alpha’s thick cock. Dean waited for a moment to let Castiel adjust. He leaned over his mate and kissed him deeply.

When Castiel tentatively wriggled his hips, Dean got the message and pulled out nearly all the way before he pushed in again. There was no haste in the alpha’s movements. He slowly stroked in and out of the omega, taking his time – deliberately avoiding his sweet spot. His hands were massaging over Castiel’s sides while he sucked and nibbled over the omega’s neck occasionally.

Finally, Dean was pacing up, hitting Castiel’s prostate regularly, causing the omega to cry out every time. The alpha seemed to know exactly when Castiel would come undone because he pushed hard against his sweet spot again, at the same time taking Castiel’s cock in hands. The omega cried out his release, going fully pliant under the sudden wave of pleasure. With another few more drums Dean followed, hand on his own cock, pulling out of Castiel before his knot could form.

Then Dean cleaned his hands provisionally on a dishcloth and he pulled Castiel’s pants back up. He picked the omega up (bridal style) and carried him to the comfortable couch, both men lying down, limbs entangled. Castiel moved his head to Dean’s neck and inhaled deeply. He was totally blissed out and practically purred. The alpha’s answering rumble not far behind. Castiel could not decide which was better – the marvellous sex or the gentle cuddling afterwards. 

“I didn’t scare you, did I?”

Castiel was so wrapped up in happiness he had to think a while before he knew what the alpha meant. He shook his head. “No. I was more confused.”

Dean let out a relieved sigh. “Good. I would never hurt you, Cas.” The omega nodded. “But that does not mean I will not get all alpha on you every now and then. This is new to me, too. And thinking you did not want other people to notice my claim on you, did not exactly placate my inner beast.”

“I really did not mean that. I am happy to wear your mark.” It was true as much as it was confusing. Since the day he had presented Castiel had winced at the mere thought of an alpha’s mark on him. Until a couple of days ago – and now he would not want to rescind Dean’s claim if he could. He knew this should be more unsettling to him, but right now, with his alpha wrapped around him, he really didn’t care. Dean took one of his hands and kissed him sensually on the wrist.

“So you said.” There it was again – that boyish smirk, ready to make all omegas of the world melt. When he realised what Dean was hinting at, Castiel turned beet red and tried to hide his face in his mate’s shoulder. Gods, the things he had said!

“No no no! Don’t hide from me.” Dean shifted, so Castiel was lying on his back, the alpha looking down at him with a warm glint in his eyes, tone gentle. “Don’t feel embarrassed. Never ever feel embarrassed about stuff like that.”

“How could I not? I have never acted this way!”

“I certainly hope not.”

“I mean it, Dean. For you, this is so easy. But I am just not … experienced...” Cue pleased rumble from his alpha. “… and I don’t know how to act or what is expected…” Castiel sighed, lost for words.

“Just don’t think so hard, sweetheart. You act like whatever feels right to you, whatever comes naturally. And if I do something you don’t like, just tell me and I’ll stop. And if you want to try something, just do it. Or tell me about it. And don’t feel shy. Not towards me.” The alpha gently stroked Castiel’s cheek. “And I don’t _expect_ anything from you. Other than to enjoy yourself. It is quite acceptable to overact a bit during sex – especially between an alpha and an omega. And when you tell me you want to feel me inside you…” Dean’s voice had suddenly dropped an octave or two. “…this does not mean I will suddenly regard you as a needy omega. I’m just gonna be happy you enjoy my … _efforts_.”

At that, the omega nearly snorted and Dean grinned in response. “By the way, if you feel embarrassed then I would have to feel embarrassed in turn. Since I’ve just gotten positively _ruttish_.”

Castiel could not help a tiny smirk of his own. Suddenly he felt a little proud; his behaviour had obviously aroused Dean. And that was something, right? He could also hardly deny that he had just enjoyed himself immensely. But this was still new territory for him.

“It’s also that I always thought … well I never… I mean, I am not even in heat.”

Dean narrowed his eyes and looked like he was concentrating really hard. “Yeah… no… I need a bit more than that, gorgeous.”

Castiel collected his thoughts and tried again. “Outside of heat, I have never been truly interested in that sort of relationship. I know that this is also a typical side effect of my medication. But nonetheless, I kind of associated sex or lust with heat and I’m quite shocked that I could behave just as... wanton at any time now.” He swallowed. “I had never known I could get so easily aroused or that sex could actually be this good when I was not lust-driven by hormones.”

Dean groaned and let himself fall down next to Castiel. “You know that everything you said since our little misunderstanding just makes my inner alpha roar with pride. Right?”  

Castiel blushed again, feeling self-conscious and strangely pleased at the same time. Dean leaned over again, kissing the omega fiercely.

The two men spent some more time with lazy touches and slow kisses, when suddenly the ring of the doorbell made them jump. Dean looked a bit off guard so Castiel assumed the alpha did not expect any visitors.

After another loud ring, they could hear a key being pushed into the lock.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter NINE

The two men spent some more time with lazy touches and slow kisses, when suddenly the ring of the doorbell made them jump. Dean looked like he was caught off guard so Castiel assumed the alpha did not expect any visitors.

After another loud ring, they could hear a key being pushed into the lock. Dean was up before Castiel could even blink and the alpha made his way to the door.

“Oh, there you are, boy. It is not nice to dawdle and let old women wait outside. That’s just rude.” The voice sounded impatient and strict. Castiel was quite curious who would speak to his alpha in that manner. He got up and made a few steps in the direction of the hall.

“Missouri… I … did you not get my message? I told you, you didn’t need to come by today…”

“Ah tut! You also said your mate just moved in. Do you think I have no pride? Letting your mate settle in while this place looks all dingy.”

For a moment, Castiel was distracted from the conversation he overheard and he looked around curiously. He could think of a lot of adjectives to describe Dean’s apartment, but _dingy_ was definitely not on that list. Finally, he was able to see the talker. It was a beta woman, about fifty years old, and she looked just as stern and energetic as she sounded. Castiel noticed the sheepish look on Dean’s face and he automatically got nervous – if someone could put that kind of expression on his alpha, they should be handled with care.

As it turned out, his worries were unnecessary. As soon as the broad woman saw Castiel, her features softened and she regarded him with a warm smile. “There you are, sweetie. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Just like Charlie had before, the beta walked up to Castiel and pulled him into a tight embrace. Within the last four days, Castiel had received more physical contact than in the ten years before. When the omega was able to breathe again, Dean was standing beside him.

“Castiel, let me introduce you to Missouri. She is my cl…”

“Boy, if you are gonna say _cleaning_ _lady_ , no one will ever find your body.”

“Wouldn’t think of it, ma’am. Missouri is the bright light of my life and I would be lost without her continuous advice and affection.” The alpha managed to say those lines with a serious expression and Missouri did not comment further. “Missouri, meet my mate, Castiel.

“Missouri normally visits on Tuesdays and Fridays while I am at work. I did send her a massage that she need not come in today, but obviously this was very thoughtless of me since she takes her responsibilities gravely.” This time, Dean could not hide a little grin.

“What the cheeky alpha means is that I will not let his precious mate settle in a filthy place. And I did ring the bell, which was very considerate of me. Did not want to stumble on you two, doing it on the kitchen table or something like that.”

Castiel blushed deeply and even Dean let out a nervous cough.

“I was gone all weekend, Missouri, the place is hardly filthy.” The beta just glared at Dean and Castiel tried to placate her.

“It is very nice of you to come by. I appreciate it since I am sure you have better things to do. Thank you very much, Miss Missouri.”

“Aw, don’t mention it, doll.” She glared at Dean again. “See? This one knows some manners. Maybe he can teach you.”

Dean merely rolled his eyes. “Let’s head out, Cas. We need to pick up some more stuff from your place anyway.”

Castiel went upstairs to change his clothes while Dean freshened up downstairs. Before they could get out of the door, Missouri bellowed: “Take the trash with you, alpha. Since you are heading for the garage anyway.”

Dean sighed, but obediently walked to the kitchen, mumbling something unintelligible. Castiel barely held back a snicker. To watch his mighty alpha getting commandeered by the sturdy woman was quite a sight. Suddenly Castiel was pulled out of his musings when the beta wrapped her arms around him again and whispered into his ear.

“Congratulations, sweetpie. You got yourself a good one. I know you’ve had it rough, but he is gonna take care of you now. Just don’t make it too easy on him. Those alphas need to be reminded that they are not actually the masters of the universe.” She winked at him and instantly stepped back when Dean returned with the trash bags.

As the two men reached the elevator, Dean murmured: “I am sorry for that. It is very difficult to tell that woman what to do – or not to do, apparently. She is as stubborn as a mule.”

“I think she is lovely.” Castiel smiled.

“Really? Well that is … awesome, actually. This means you get to handle her from now on. Ha!” Dean seemed quite pleased with this solution.

Castiel laughed. “Why did you hire her then? When she unsettles you so much?”

“Unsettle? I am not unsettled. I am… annoyed. And I never hired her … She more like just showed up one day and proclaimed I needed someone to take care of my place. And she was right – I have been looking for someone to clean the flat regularly. And then she just… started.” Dean shrugged. “Anyway, she _is_ a bit scary. Sometimes I swear she can read my mind. But I don’t get why she works for me; she does not seem to think all that highly of me.”

“Well maybe you are wrong. Maybe she likes you a lot.”

Dean looked at him dubiously, but he let the subject drop without another word.

 

>><< 

 

Dean drove to Castiel’s old place and the two men packed up a few more items – which turned out to go a lot faster than they had anticipated. The omega really did not have that much since after they had crammed the Impala a second time, the apartment was virtually empty.

Before Dean started the car though, he looked at Castiel and asked: “What do you wanna do now?”

Castiel looked up quizzically. “I thought we would unpack at your place…”

“Yeah, we can do that later. Let’s do something fun. So… what do you like? What do you do on a day off?”

“Ahem…” Castiel stuttered. “I … ah … read a lot…? And I like Yoga. Or I take a walk…”

“Oh, come on, there must be somewhere you would like to go!”

“Well… I would like to go… that is if you would find that interesting… since my brother never did…” Dean huffed impatiently. “Maybe we could go to Cain’s Bee Museum?”

Dean only blinked, his expression unreadable – but he was definitely _not_ excited. Before Castiel could back-pedal however, Dean had already started the car.

 

>><< 

 

Castiel enjoyed himself immensely at the museum. He was highly interested in anything bee-related and as a child he had spent hours observing a beehive in the near forest. And this museum had not only all possible information on bees and their contribution to the ecosystem, but also beekeeping grounds with instructions and examples. The omega had always wanted to visit this place, but he did not really like to go out on his own, especially not somewhere that could get crowded. And neither his friends nor Gabriel could ever be persuaded to accompany him.

Dean, however, took the situation stoically. Whenever Castiel glanced at his alpha, Dean tried (and failed) to put on an intrigued expression – the omega was so endeared by this behaviour that he didn’t even feel guilty about it.

After the tour, the couple ate a quick very late lunch/early dinner at a sandwich bar inside the museum.

“Thank you, Dean. For bringing me here. I have been asking Gabriel for years to accompany me.”

“Talking about your brother…” Dean sounded surprisingly tense. “…have you told him about your new status by now? Or you know, any of your friends or …”

“No, not yet.” Dean fidgeted a bit and he was not really meeting the omega’s eyes. Castiel frowned. “I mean… I was not really thinking about it until now. My mind was a bit occupied the last couple of days. But I will call Gabriel tonight. Okay?”

“Okay.” Dean let out a long breath and he seemed relieved. Castiel pondered if the little outburst of Dean’s alpha this afternoon had not been provoked by Castiel’s words alone. Did Dean believe Castiel was trying to hide his claim? Just the thought was absurd.

“I want to tell everyone about you, Dean. I have just been focused on other things the last 24 hours. Besides, my social circle is a lot smaller than yours. Other than Gabriel, I basically have two friends who I see only every couple of weeks. And I would like to tell my brother first.”

“Of course … You could also ask him to come visit us anytime that suits him. I am sure he would like to meet your mate. Hell, I certainly would.” Dean picked up another sandwich and continued eating. “You want to tell me about your friends? You know, you can invite them over any time you want as well – or meet somewhere in town.”

Castiel smiled gratefully. Dean had mentioned this before, but the omega was still unaccustomed to his new role and he liked to be reminded that he could live his own life.

“There is Hannah… she is also an omega. I met her at a … after I moved here.” Castiel did not mention that Meg had convinced him to join a self-help group for omegas. He did not want to downgrade the mood right now. “She is mated to an alpha as well and she works as a nurse at a children’s hospital. I sometimes meet her either at my place or hers. Or we go out for a long walk along the Addaria.”

“Then there is Balthasar. We met during college, in my last year.” Castiel smiled absent-mindedly. “To be honest, at first I thought he was just befriending me because of my accurate protocols. You know, we studied together a lot and he is not exactly the type to pay any sort of attention in class. But after he had moved to Sanddorn, he called me again and we meet every couple of weeks to chat. And now I think he actually likes me – and was not just after my notes.” Castiel snickered lightly, but Dean did not look amused.

“And that Balthasar, he is a…?”

“Oh, he is a beta. Like Gabriel.”

“Oh. Good.” Dean seemed more energetic again. Castiel raised an eyebrow, but did not comment.

 

>><< 

 

By the time the couple came back to the apartment, the already clean place was spotless. There was a scent in the air, that Castiel could not decipher – but he loved it. Since it was already well after six, Castiel suggested to call Gabriel right away and Dean declared he would pick up the rest of the boxes from the car and have a short chat with Garth. The omega understood that Dean was trying to give him some space to deal with his brother – and he was grateful since he felt a bit nervous and did not necessarily want his mate to overhear the conversation.

Before Castiel could call Gabriel though, his phone rang – his brother had obviously beaten him to the punch.

“Hello, Gabriel. This is a coincidence. I was just about to call you.”

“Cassie! Thank god. How are you? Are you hurt? Are you at the hospital? Can I come and pick you up?”

Castiel was baffled and for a few seconds he did not really know how to react. His brother sounded truly concerned – but Castiel had no idea, why. Had he tried to call him at work and they told him he was on sick leave?

“Cassie! Talk to me! Have you been robbed?”

“What? No! I am fine. I am very well, actually. What makes you think otherwise?”

“Well…” Gabriel talked very slowly, like explaining something to a child. Or someone who just isn’t that smart. “…I am standing in the middle of your apartment and it is nearly empty. Apart from that horrible furniture. And my little brother – who has a very consistent schedule – is not here.”

Gabriel was right – Castiel always came home before six. He would always bring some work with him and continue after a quick dinner. But of course, that fact was completely circumstantial at the moment. The main issue here was:

“You are in my flat? In Sanddorn? What are you doing here – in the middle of the week?!”

“As it happens, I was trying to surprise my baby brother with some good news. But, please Castiel, will you just tell me now where the fuck you are!” His voice became louder with every single word until the beta was almost yelling.

Castiel swallowed. “I am… that is … I moved to a different place.” Castiel could practically hear Gabriel’s raised eyebrow. His brother had highly communicative eyebrows. “As I said, I just wanted to call you myself to tell you… that I have been claimed. And I live with my mate now.”

There was just silence on the other end of the line, then: “What?!”

“I am mated. I live now with Dean Winchester, my … ah… alpha.”

Castiel heard a loud thud over the phone. “Gabriel?”

“It’s alright, Cassie. I just had to sit down. Chair then kinda fell over.”

Castiel let out a short snicker. He sobered up quickly and thought about this unexpected situation. Dean had told him, he could invite anyone over… But the alpha probably didn’t think he would start right now. And without consulting him first. But with his brother in the city…

“Why don’t you come over? We could talk about it and I’ll introduce you to Dean.”

“Now? What will your _alpha_ say to this?” He made the word sound like an insult.

“He won’t mind.” Castiel sounded more confident than he felt. “You are staying at the Aster again? Just come over for an hour or two.”

Castiel gave his brother his new address and Gabriel promised he would be there in about twenty minutes. Just after Castiel hung up, Dean came back into the apartment, piling the last boxes next to the door.

Castiel got anxious again – now he had to tell his alpha that his brother would show up in a couple of minutes. He had felt quite sure on the phone, but now his insecurities won out again. Of course Dean noticed there was something wrong and the alpha slowly walked towards Castiel and sat down next to him.

“What is it? What did he say?” There was just the tiniest growl in his voice; obviously Dean thought Gabriel had put Castiel in a bad mood and he did not like it.

“To the mating? Not much, really. He… ahem…” Castiel cleared his throat. “He is in Sanddorn right now. In my flat, to be precise. And he seemed to think I have been attacked or something. And now I … ah… I invited him over.” Castiel took a deep breath. “He will be here in about 15 minutes…?” The last part came out more like a question than a statement.

“Oh.” Dean said noncommittally.

Castiel looked sheepishly up at his mate – he could not detect any form of anger, Dean just seemed surprised. Not that Castiel could blame him for that.

“I guess … that is even better, isn’t it? Having your brother here. Just let me text Sammy, tell him and Jess I will come over.” Castiel looked confused. “To give the two of you time to talk? I mean, I definitely want to meet your brother, but then I can just excuse myself for an hour or so.”

Castiel smiled. “Thank you, Dean. That would be wonderful. But I don’t want you to feel like I am driving you out of your home…”

“ _Our_ home, Cas. And I don’t mind.” At Dean’s words and the warm look in the alpha’s eyes, Castiel could feel his butterflies dancing again. He leaned forward and shyly kissed Dean on the lips. The alpha responded immediately and deepened the kiss, pulling Castiel fully towards him and finally letting his lips wander down Castiel’s skin to the claiming bite. Dean sucked lightly and Castiel bared his neck further to give the alpha full access.

After some more kissing, Dean pulled back. “Just … stay here while I am at Sammy’s?” He cleared his throat. “I mean, of course you can go out, if you want to – but can you call me if you do? I don’t know how I will react if you just leave. But if you won’t be here when I return… my alpha might assume you are trying to run from me or you are in danger. Or both. And I don’t want to scare anyone when I come crushing into a bar, snarling and red-eyed.” Dean tried for a joking tone in the end, but Castiel could see he felt uncomfortable with his request.

“No problem, Dean. I have no intention of going out with Gabriel tonight.”

“I don’t mean you cannot go anywhere without me, Cas. Just for now, _tell_ me, please. I need to get used to this just as much as you.”

“I understand, Dean. And I really don’t mind.”

 

>><< 

 

The next couple of minutes, Castiel got more and more excited at the prospect of meeting with his brother. Dean was pacing back and forth through the apartment and Castiel assumed the alpha was subconsciously marking his territory. That presumption just intensified when the alpha kept coming back to his mate and let a hand rest on Castiel’s neck for a second or ran it through his hair.

But since he was about to leave his newly claimed omega alone with a stranger – Castiel thought Dean was rather collected for an alpha in this kind of situation.

Then the intercom rang and Dean answered. “Yes, let him up. Thanks, Garth.” Castiel made his way to the front door, Dean right behind him. When Gabriel finally walked out of the elevator, Castiel nearly ran towards him and hugged his brother tightly. Gabriel seemed surprised, but closed his arms around his brother in turn. Castiel was a bit astonished himself – but he was just so glad to see the beta. After all, in the last couple of days, his life had taken major turn so he was relieved to see someone consistent in his life. Also, maybe Dean’s friends’ behaviour had already rubbed off on him.

Finally, Gabriel took a step back and looked at the alpha looming at the door. Castiel hurried to introduce the two men. “Dean, this is my brother Gabriel. Gabe, meet Dean. My Mate.” The two men eyed each other for a moment, not openly hostile but there was a certain tautness in the air.

Then Dean reached out and the two men shook hands. “It is nice to meet you, Gabriel. Please, come in.”

The next couple of minutes were some of the most awkward in Castiel’s life.

The conversation was friendly if a bit hesitant. Gabriel seemed to contemplate what to think of the alpha and Castiel had to admit that his brother did not know yet how he got mated in the first place. His gaze always turned back to Castiel like he was trying to figure out if his brother was all right. There was no hint of Gabriel’s normally brisk attitude, he seemed wary to not say or do the wrong thing towards Dean. Probably more for Castiel’s sake than his own.

The alpha on the other hand seemed stressed in turn. He probably picked up on Gabriel’s reluctance and tried to reign himself in. When met with hostility, alphas often instinctively leashed out to show who was the top dog in the room. Not to mention that Dean was about to leave his mate alone with a stranger. A stranger who did not look too kindly at him.

And Castiel just wanted to clarify his relationship with Dean – but at the same time he would rather do that without his mate in the room. Again, he was glad for Dean’s proposal to leave the brothers alone for some time.

After a couple of minutes of friendly-but-very-strained conversation, Dean excused himself. After he had left, Gabriel just stared at the door, where the alpha had just disappeared through. He let out a deep breath. “Jeez, Cassie. Couldn’t find someone a bit more dominant, could you?”

Castiel grinned and Gabriel stared at him in wonder. “Now tell me, little brother. How is it that you could have been claimed?” Again, he tensed up – obviously worried that Dean had somehow forced himself on Castiel. Not to mention that the strong medication should have made any permanent claim impossible.

Castiel reluctantly started to recap the last couple of days. How he met Dean and how he then drove to the alpha’s cabin. That bit made Gabriel snort out – and his eyebrows said something like “Yeah, because that was the smart thing to do.” Castiel emphasised that Dean did not advance him in any way at the office and he even proposed to drive him home that night. It was strangely important for Castiel to let his brother know, that Dean had not once done anything Castiel hadn’t wanted him to do. Gabriel seemed especially surprised that Dean had only marked him at the end of Castiel’s heat, at the younger man’s request.

Castiel had never told his brother about Alastair. But he knew that Gabriel at least guessed what had happened. Even if he didn’t know the details. But he could see how reluctant Castiel had always been around alphas and how he was steadfast on taking the strongest omega medication – to dampen his scent and defer his heats as long as possible in addition to birth control and the claiming inhibitor.

He told his brother how he woke up, claimed. How they had visited his doctor and the little fact about Dean and him obviously fitting together perfectly, on a biological level at least. At that, Gabriel let out a disbelieving “Come on, that is not actually real!” Here the omega even made a little joke about how Dean and Gabriel obviously were on the same wavelength. Castiel then told how he moved in with his alpha. He even mentioned that he got to sleep in the same bed as Dean – and that statement was accompanied by a very pleased smile.

“Oh. My. Goodness. You are truly happy about this mating, Cassie.” Gabriel looked at him, shocked.

“I … am. I guess.” Castiel unconsciously lifted a hand to his marked neck. “I know this is strange. Believe me. But Dean is a good man. I know I have just met him – but I am completely convinced of that. I do feel insecure with this new situation, but I am not scared. In fact, I have never before felt as safe and protected and cherished as I have the last couple of days.

“Dean truly does not act like he expects me to submit or mindlessly obey him. He says he wants me to have a life of my own. And I did just invite you here without asking him for permission. I mean, how many alphas do we know who would be okay with that? He even lets me go back to work, once I have settled in.

“He has so far tried to consider all of Meg’s advice. He is very kind to me. And funny.” Castiel grinned. He never thought that humour would be on his how-an-alpha-should-be-list. But he liked how easily Dean made him laugh. He had always been told he was too serious – and now he finally enjoyed a little playfulness in his life.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t forget to mention how handsome your man is. And I don’t want to think about what his scent and voice do to your omega _biology_.” Gabriel wriggled his eyebrows. “You know, how your _neither_ _regions_ react to…”

“Gabriel! Stop it!” Despite his words, Castiel had to laugh – there was no use in denying his obvious attraction to Dean. Gabriel just looked at him, astonished. Like he had just seen a flying moose crossing the room.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just…” Gabriel still looked amazed. “Maybe this _is_ a good thing for you. In the last half hour, I have seen you laugh and smile as much as I have seen you in the last year. And you seem to be more open… I mean the way you nearly jumped me when I came in. And you really don’t seem to be intimidated by your alpha. As you know, I am a reckless smart-ass, but even I would not try to get on that one’s bad side.”

With those words, the whole awkwardness and tension from before seemed to just fly out of the window. The brothers talked some more about Castiel’s first days as a mated omega, about Sam and Dean’s friends and Gabriel started to feel truly happy for his brother.

Suddenly, Castiel asked: “What about you? Why _are_ you here? You said something about some good news.” Castiel nudged the beta. “You want to introduce someone to me, thinking about getting bonded yourself?”

“Oh no, nothing of the kind. I still enjoy getting a bite out of every flavour I can find, thank you very much.” Castiel made a disgusted noise. “But I am about to make some changes in my professional life. You know, I have been planning this for a while now – and today I signed my leasing contract. In about three months, I will be expanding my business and relocate the headquarters to Sanddorn. We will then have branches in seven major cities instead of three and I will work mostly from here.”

“Oh my! That is wonderful!”

Gabriel looked a bit sheepish. “See, I was planning to ask you to come work for me. As legal counsel. I had this whole speech prepared – here are some highlights: Your co-workers won’t be dicks any more since I will not employ idiots. And you know, I am definitely a lot more fun than your current bosses. Also, I will pay better.” He looked around pointedly. “Though money does not really seem to be a strong inducement anymore. But you would not have to work such long hours in my little company.”

“You are absolutely sure about expanding? I know, _Just Desserts_ is doing well – but… the world is full of business chains of sweet pastries. There might just be too much competition.”

“No such thing as too much sweets, little brother!”

Castiel chuckled. “Then maybe you would rather employ someone who is not as reserved towards the concept as me.”

“On the contrary, this will work perfectly. I will be in charge of the boosting optimism, while you play the role of the grumpy spoilsport. This way, in eighteen months from now, I have someone to tell: See, I told you it would all work out!”

Castiel got excited at the prospect of working with his brother. He had never felt comfortable at his present workplace, but to find office work in a respectable firm was hard enough for an omega. And though Gabriel often seemed both care- _and_ thoughtless, the beta was a cunning businessman and certainly would not try to expand without solid evaluation beforehand. Castiel did not want to make any promises without talking to Dean first, though. Not because he thought Dean would forbid him to take another job, but because it felt right to him to discuss such a big step with his mate.

Time flew by and when Dean returned nearly two hours after he had left, Gabriel was treating the alpha way more amiably than before. Dean responded in kind and the two men got over the awkwardness from before. Until Gabriel found to his true form and threatened Dean in a semi-joking tone that he better not hurt his brother or he would hunt the alpha down personally. Castiel was rather impressed by the almost-challenge – but Dean just shrugged it off and assured them both that he would take good care of the omega. Gabriel glared at the alpha again, if only for show, while Castiel blinked rapidly to keep his tears back.

Finally, Gabriel said his goodbyes, mentioning he would probably visit the city again in two or three weeks. Castiel hugged his brother tightly, still feeling giddy at the prospect of seeing him regularly in the future.

After he had closed the door, Castiel turned to his mate, a smile still plastered to his face.

“So… good talk?” Dean grinned and casually put his arms around Castiel.

“Very good talk.” Castiel stepped even closer to Dean and inhaled at the taller man’s neck. After the couple of hours apart, Castiel loved to drink in that scent again. He had not been upset or anxious while Dean was gone like he had feared – but it was wonderful to have him back home.

The omega yawned and Dean suggested they should just call it a night.

 

>><< 

 

When the couple stepped into the bedroom, Castiel just stared at the bed. Missouri had seemingly cramped all the pillows and blankets she could find on it. She had stuffed them at the top and the bottom as well as one side – the one Castiel slept in. The alpha’s end was left open. It was still not a real nestling bed – mostly because with the current arrangement the space for the couple to lie in was pretty tight – but it was as close as you could get.

Castiel loved it. For a moment, he contemplated to crawl in right away – but he was pulled out of his admiration when Dean asked him whether he wanted to go to the bathroom first.

As he prepared himself for bed, Castiel feared for a moment that his alpha might destroy the artwork outside while he changed. He came back – just in a pair of boxers this time – and was relieved to find the bed as it had been. Dean smirked knowingly at him and went into the adjoined room.

Castiel sat on the bed and thought about his alpha. He hoped that Dean would not be as _considerate_ tonight as he had been yesterday. True, it had been a long day and Castiel was tired, but at the same time he wanted to feel close to his mate. Acting on impulse, Castiel pulled down his boxers and lay on the bed. On his back, above the covers, so his alpha could see all of him. Castiel had learned by now that Dean liked to just look at him. But – of course – as soon as he had lain down, he felt self-conscious. He was just about to cover himself when Dean returned to the room. Too late now.

Seeing the hunger in his mate’s eyes, Castiel congratulated himself on his boldness.

“Gods, you are beautiful, baby.” Castiel blushed; he spread his legs wider when Dean crawled on the bed, positioning himself above the omega, settling between his thighs.

This time, their mating was different than any before. Dean took his time exploring and caressing the omega, worshipping every part of his body with his words and hands. Castiel had never known such loving words and gentle touches that made him melt into the mattress. Not that Dean had not shown his tender side before – but now, for the first time, neither man was affected by the edge of Castiel’s heat or the sudden outburst of Dean’s alpha. And their new bond just added to the intimacy.

After a long while, both men moaned out their release and Dean’s knot bound them together tightly.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all of you lovely people who read regularly and wait for updates: I am very sorry, but I won´t be able to keep up with my schedule any more. Work is very busy at the moment – I have to make a few short trips over the next weeks – so I am pretty stressed (I try not to use words like disturbed or terrified). So (at least) for the next three weeks, I will post new chapters only on Thursdays. Again, sorry for that – but this way I am optimistic that I will be able to update at least once a week till the end of the story.   
> Again, thank you for your lovely comments and kudos. They make a very happy me. xD

Chapter TEN

The moment Castiel woke up, he felt nervous. It took him a few seconds to remember why, though.

Today, they planned to make their mating official. The couple had agreed that they would go to the municipality and register their bond. Castiel did not really know why this made him so nervous since the actual claiming was a lot more important, i.e. permanent. Once you were claimed, you could not undo it. Making the bond official so soon, was actually a nice gesture. No one had to change their papers – everyone would know if an omega was claimed, new ID or no. But for the alpha, it was a way to formally acknowledge their mate. It was a sign, that the omega would not get kicked out any second – or as soon as the alpha got bored. Especially since you could only have one legal mate at a time, not matter how many one might have claimed.

So Castiel had been excited last night when Dean suggested they _should just get the paperwork out of the way._ Especially since the alpha argued that he did not want Castiel to get any trouble with driving or working _or some shit like that_. Those were just some things the alpha mate had to officially agree to – it would be noted on the license or ID. Without those kind of permissions, a mated omega would get fired or could even get arrested for simply handling money. This statute was especially hard on omegas who had been left after being claimed – living without your mate was hard enough, but this way they could not even provide for themselves.

On the other hand, the alpha could also revoke about any rights from their mate with a formal request. If an alpha decided so, the omega would not even be allowed to enter a store or take the bus on their own. Admittedly, such strict directives were not the rule – how would your omega be able to do the shopping this way – but it did happen. So even though Dean had explained he wanted Castiel to _not_ get into trouble for things he was already used to, the omega couldn’t help but feel queasy.

Castiel looked at the watch. Not even 7 a.m. His mate was already up and Castiel was by now convinced that Dean was not the sleep-in kind of guy.

A couple of minutes later, he found his mate in the kitchen. After a quick kiss and a lewd comment from Dean about Castiel’s permanent _sex hair,_ the couple sat down and shared breakfast. The omega wondered for the umpteenth time about how easy this all felt, how he already considered this place his home. Even though he had just moved in two days ago.

The conversation over breakfast was pretty much non-existent. Dean had tried a few not-so-funny jokes, but he soon realised that Castiel was definitely not a morning person. So they just sat in companionable silence.

Agreeing that it would be best to arrive at the registry office as early as possible, both men just hurriedly picked up their papers and all of Castiel’s documents – and stepped into the arrival hall before eight.

They still had to wait for about an hour. During that time, Castiel had the feeling he had landed in a microcosm where you could observe various ways in which omegas were treated by their mates. He and Dean were sitting in the waiting room only for alpha/omega-mates.  Two couples were already inside. One female alpha with her mate, sitting side by side and conversing in a low volume while holding hands. Castiel and Dean sat across from them and Castiel shared a shy almost-smile with the other male omega every now and then.

The other couple were two males. The alpha sat upright in a nearly comical manner. He was obviously trying to make himself appear more dominant than he was – next to Dean’s casual dominance his posturing was downright laughable. The omega was standing behind his mate, a thick collar around his neck, gaze submissively lowered. Castiel’s stomach turned at the thought that this might have been him. Dean seemed to notice his discomfort and let a confirming hand rest on his knee.

The alphas in the room never once looked at each other and basically ignored the presence of anyone who wasn’t their own mate.

While they were waiting, more couples entered. One omega was talking very loudly as if to underline “I may be claimed now, but I am not going to shut up.” Her alpha only seemed amused by that. Another omega was kneeling at his alpha´s feet.

Castiel could not comprehend how differently omegas were treated. Particularly in this day and age, since there were so many attempts to improve life conditions for the subgender. But it was still legal for alphas to tie them up and abuse them any which way. Castiel started to shake slightly – more from relief than anything else. Because lucky for him, his mate was more progressive. He could see how relieved the omega across from him looked as his alpha was finally called and the couple could exit the room.

A few minutes later, Castiel felt the same way when he and Dean stepped out and made their way to the assigned office. The couple with the collared omega just left the room. The alpha patted the administrator on the back while his mate looked even paler than he had in the waiting room. Castiel gulped as he watched them leave, suddenly overwhelmed with fear. Right now, Dean could make life-changing decisions for him. Would he be allowed to drive? To work? To carry money with him? To simply leave the house?!

“Mr. Winchester, I presume?” The red-faced beta turned to Dean and hesitantly held his hand out. It was almost a bold move, propriety suggested for the alpha to offer his hand first. But Dean did not seem to be offended as he stepped into the office.

“Please, take a seat.”

Castiel followed his mate tentatively and stood awkwardly next to a chair. He noticed how the administrator did not even spare him one single glance, like he was not there at all. Like he was nothing.

Dean gently pointed at the chair next to him and Castiel sat down, exhaling loudly. Like he had done in the waiting room and before in Meg’s practice, Dean let his hand fall on Castiel’s thigh and just like that, the omega felt some tension leave his body. The official however, frowned lightly at the gesture.

It had taken less than a minute for Castiel to figure out that this man was probably not in favour of any omega-rights-movements. It had always astonished Castiel how many betas thought that omegas should only be seen as breeders. He could strangely follow how _alphas_ were convinced of their superiority over omegas. But alphas could coax omegas to do anything during heats or by using their command voice. Alphas could claim omegas for life. And omegas were undoubtedly drawn to them. So, in a twisted way, it made sense that they thought of omegas as their property. But for betas to think so as well… Castiel simply could not comprehend that.

But one thing was fact – Omegas were the only subgender that could reliably give birth to alpha or omega children. Alpha females hypothetically could as well, but it was very risky and in the end quite often mother and child died before the pup lived a week. It was also rarely tried since alpha/beta bondings did not happen too often – and omega-sperm was infertile. Yes, alphas _enjoyed_ the company of betas and had lots of casual relationships – but when they mated, they mostly settled down with omegas. After all, alpha/omega-bonds were the strongest. Gabriel once had his heart broken by an alpha, Kali, who after four years, suddenly decided she wanted a true bond and would look for a suitable omega. And alphas could be picky – since they made only about five percent of world’s population and omegas were at over thirty.

But even some betas – the clear majority – were convinced that the _natural order_ needed to be upheld. That this world only worked with a healthy balance of dominant alphas, even-tempered betas and supposedly submissive omegas. And for that, obviously, omegas should be mated and bred. That was their role in life. And even though betas had not the same influence over omegas as alphas did, a lot of them liked to believe they could. Being mated to a beta did not necessarily mean an omega would be treated any better – since a lot of betas had their own perverted slave-fantasies. But at least this kind of bond could be broken.

If Castiel had to guess, he would assume that the young beta in front from him would like to have his own submissive omega at his beck and call. After Dean had handed him the paperwork, he skimmed over the files and finally declared that they had everything they needed.

“That almost never happens. You know, those omegas can hardly keep their papers in order and lose all sorts of important documents.” He looked up with a grin that should probably be conspiratorial, but he was only met with a stony face. The beta twitched visibly and Castiel wanted to grin at him – because yes, that look on his alpha’s face was scary. But since the beta kept ignoring him, he would not have seen his smug look anyway.

“Since my mate works in the legal department, I don’t think he is likely to be the one of us who will mix up the paperwork.” The beta frowned even more at that, but wisely refrained from any comment. He just let out a nervous laugh.

“Okay, so with everything here we should be able to have your mate’s new ID and various licenses or allowances ready by Monday. We just need to talk about how much leeway you want to grant him. But at first, let me inform you, that we support a program where you can set your omega on the black list – but you are still able to grant allowances for a certain time period. Unfortunately, this possibility isn’t offered by that many institutions anymore; but you just happen to live in the right place.” Castiel shuddered involuntarily. The _black_ _list_ meant that the omega was basically not allowed to do _anything_ without the alpha. If you so much as left the house you could get arrested – until your alpha picked you up and, needless to say, those kinds of alphas would dish out severe punishment.

“We provide a system of _free_ _cards_. For example, even if your mate is not normally allowed to carry money with him – you can write him an allowance for a certain amount of cash on a certain day. Same goes for all other activities. So you don’t even have to think about what you will grant him in the future – just decide on every occasion separately. This way, if an emergency appears, you can still easily handle it. Or maybe you want to use these cards as a reward system when he has pleased you.” Castiel could practically feel the hostility building up in Dean and if that official had not yet noticed, he was just _really_ stupid. Dean’s tenseness should probably alarm the omega – appease your alpha and all that – but it strangely calmed him. Since he was about 92 percent sure, that the apprehension was not directed at him. But when the beta kept talking, Castiel could not help but feel a bit timid at his words.

“I would also like to introduce you to some omega-schools we are working with.” He pulled some prospects out of his desk drawers and laid them out in front of Dean. “They are focused on freshly-claimed mates. Omegas should generally know what is expected from them, but since every upbringing is different, these schools help to form your omega just the way you want him to be. Every alpha can emit a personalised list on how they want their omega to be trained…”

What had started as a low rumble from Dean’s chest suddenly erupted into a loud snarl. The beta interrupted his speech at once, suddenly looking horrified. Castiel did not blame him. He had heard alphas growl before, he had heard _Dean_ growl before – but the sound that just came out of his alpha was perfectly fearsome. And even though Castiel was not afraid of the alpha, he felt uneasy with the level of aggression and anger radiating from his mate. This time, he gave into his instincts and stroked soothingly over Dean’s arm, to keep him grounded. Subconsciously trying to convince his alpha that everything was all right. 

“Dean?”

Dean looked at his mate and Castiel could see that he tried to contain himself. The omega bared his neck slightly and Dean accepted the invitation immediately. He leaned forward and breathed in his mate’s scent. After a moment, he licked lightly at his mark. The low rumble he let out this time was far different from the vicious snarl from before. Castiel felt ridiculously powerful. _He_ had done this! In an instant, he had changed the alpha’s mood from terminator to attentive mate.

Dean pecked him on the lips and then turned back to the administrator. The man’s face had turned an even deeper shade of red and he still held his head slightly to the side and refrained from any sort of eye contact. “Sir… Alpha… I apologise for any…”

“Let’s just move on.” Dean’s voice was cold, but at least he wasn’t baring his teeth any more. “We would like to file a green card and then we are out of here.”

“A green card?” The official gulped. Loudly. “Yes… of course…”

Green cards were the very opposite of the blacklist. With one signature, the alpha basically allowed their omega to do anything. They could even have their own bank accounts or report someone to the police by themselves. Even their own mates! These so called green cards only registered a year ago so Castiel had not even thought about that possibility. But Dean obviously had. Castiel suspected the alpha had had a little talk with his lawyer-omega-brother last night.

After everything was signed and in order, the couple exited the office on a hostile note. Castiel looked rather smug when they left the still intimidated employee. Dean on the other hand hastened down the corridor and he only stopped when he was finally out of the building. Castiel could hardly keep up and finally found his mate leaning against a wall, taking deep breaths.

The alpha smiled bashfully at Castiel. “I’m sorry, Cas. I nearly went back and ripped a few limbs off that dick.”

Castiel nearly chuckled. He stepped on his toes and kissed Dean on the cheek while his arms settled around the alpha’s torso.

“Thank you, Dean.”

“For what?”

“For being a good mate. And for… you know… not ripping any limbs off. That would have made a real mess. And I would not like for the police to arrest my mate before the first week is over.”

“Oh, they would not have arrested me. As an alpha, it is my right to defend my omega against any assaults. Even verbal ones.” That was true. It was another strange archaic law that only referred to alpha/omega-bonds. The alpha could basically attack anyone who insulted or abused (or simply touched) their omega. If someone would make a pass at a mated omega in front of their alpha, they were within their rights to kill their rival. Therefore, a room full of alpha/omega-mates can get really tense really fast.

But fighting over an omega was not the only scenario in which alphas could literary _get away with murder_.  A simple challenge from one alpha to another would work just as well. Fortunately, deadly fights didn’t happen that often any more – most alphas were satisfied with a few punches these days.

“But since he is a beta, you cannot easily challenge him. And to be honest, he did not offend _me_. He just has a shitty view on omegas in general. I am quite sure, that a lot of alphas who walk into his office are more than happy with his suggestions.”

Castiel felt another wave of relief roll over him. He thanked his fates that he was mated to a good man. Dean tightened his arms around the omega and for a while they just stood there, embracing each other.

“So you mean that my own mate would not even back me up if I broke a few bones?”  Leave it to Dean to try and lighten the mood with gory humour. “You would testify against me or what?”

“Well… I do have a green card now. So, you know, I _could_.” Castiel said those words with such a wide smile that his mate just had to lean over and kiss it off him.

 

>><< 

 

After the alpha had calmed down, the two men drove to Dean’s bank to take care of _money stuff_ as the alpha had so eloquently put it. Castiel felt a slight sting, because since he was now still a legalised citizen, he could as well keep his own account. But he did not dare to confront Dean about it, feeling that he had been lucky enough for one day.

Obviously, Dean had already called in advance to make an appointment with his asset manager. When they arrived, they were directed to a spacious office. Behind the desk sat a pretty beta and Castiel could read the name _Bela_ _Talbot_ on a sign in front of her. As soon as they stepped in, she stood and graciously walked towards them.

“Oh Dean! How lovely to see you, dear!” The brunette kissed Dean on both cheeks in a somewhat artificial manner (or maybe that was just Castiel’s opinion) and then turned around to study the omega intently.

When Dean introduced them, they shook hands and Castiel felt like the beta might have broken some of his bones. But he wasn’t sure whether it was personal or maybe the beta just generally had a death grip for a handshake.

“So… that was the strange noise that kept me from sleep the last couple of nights! All the omegas in the world, wailing that Dean Winchester is finally off the market.”

Castiel blushed heavily, Dean just smirked.

All three of them sat down and they made small talk for a while – but the beta kept including Castiel in the conversation. Where was he from? Would he like some coffee or tea? Did he also think that colleagues who had egg salad for lunch should get fired without notice?

Even though she was nice to him, Castiel did not feel comfortable around her. But that might have had to do with the way she looked at Dean. He could not say why, but Castiel had the feeling that there was some history between those two. And the beta kept flirting with his alpha. Oh, it was very subtle and maybe Castiel was just fuelled by his own insecurities. It might just be a mannerism – the way she tossed her hair back. Or how she tabbed a pen to her pouting lips. Or how her top left a good view on her cleavage when she leaned forwards to show Dean a report of his assets.

The only thing that kept Castiel from growling at her was the fact that Dean did seem to be completely oblivious to her behaviour. When he looked at the papers, he looked _at the papers_. Whenever he laughed, he would focus his glinting eyes on Castiel and then finally he said: “The reason we are here is that I’d like to grant Castiel access to my basic accounts. And he probably needs a new credit card.”

Castiel grasped for breath. What?

Bela on the other hand did not seem surprised at all. She excused herself for a moment to get the right forms. Castiel just sat there and stared at Dean.

“What?”

“What do you mean? A new credit card and… I thought we were here to transcribe my belongings to you.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Cas, but I don’t really need your money. I want you to be able to buy anything you need, though. Or, you know, something could happen to me…  So you should have access to my financials.” The alpha frowned in confusion. “I thought this was obvious. And of course, I want to settle your student loans or any other debts you might have.”

Castiel just kept staring at him.

“You can hardly expect me to live with an indebted mate.”

“I don’t. I mean… I thought you would want to settle my debts, but not for you to… You don’t even know me, Dean! Maybe I will just clear off all your savings and give them to an orphanage in Mongolia! Or I will set it on fire just to watch it burn! Or maybe I will buy a yacht!”

“Well… are you planning on any of that, Cas?” Dean’s voice shook. He could hardly contain his laughter.

“Of course not!” That just made the alpha laugh even harder.

“Good. Then there should be no problem of me being suddenly impoverished. You could actually not do that since quite a bit of money lies in my business. And to that you have no admission, sorry. I would be grateful though, if you were to at least consult me before you go and buy something as big as a yacht.” Dean winked and it was obvious that for him the discussion was over.

At the same time, the manager came back and the three of them signed registration forms and Bela settled all outstanding accounts from Castiel with Dean’s credit. And just like that, Castiel was debt-free, still had his own money and as soon as his new ID was released, he would get access to a large part of Dean’s financials.

While Bela was still lecturing Cas on how Dean’s – and now also _his_ , she emphasized – assets were invested, Dean’s phone rang. The alpha excused himself and left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Bela was practically in Castiel’s face.

“So… tell me. How did you do it?”

“Ah… what? Do what?” Castiel was confused. The beta had a mischievous glint in her eyes. She did not seem menacing but highly amused.

“How did you get Dean Winchester to claim you? So many omegas have tried before and they all failed. What is so special about you?” She smirked. “Did you not let him into your panties unless he bit you? Or did you tell him you were under medication? But no, that would not work… you could not possibly lie to him during heat. Maybe you just crept into his bed at night, naked and wanton, and he could not resist…”

Castiel blushed deeply at that. She was right – he did trick Dean into this bond. He just did not do it knowingly. But obviously Bela thought his skin colour deepened for another reason.

“It was that good, yes? Well Dean does have a certain reputation…”

Guilt and jealousy mixed up in Castiel and he was giving out a clear scent of distress. Bela leaned back immediately. She handed Castiel a glass of water and assured him hastily. “I am sorry, Castiel. I did not mean to upset you; I was just messing around…”

Oddly enough, for the first time that day, Castiel thought she sounded genuine.

The door flew open and Dean was suddenly by his side. The alpha threw an angry look at Bela. “I was gone for three seconds! What did you do?”

Bela seemed unimpressed by the enraged alpha and opened her mouth to say something quick-witted to annoy Dean even more. At least that was what Castiel expected so he interrupted her right away. “It’s nothing, Dean. Just a misunderstanding.”

Dean eyed him up again and with another disgruntled look at Bela, he asked her to get some copies from an investment. Castiel knew that Dean probably only wanted to make sure if he was truly all right.

“What happened, Cas?” Dean asked as soon as Bela was out of the room.

“Nothing. Really.” Dean just kept staring at him and … yeah, stubborn alpha. “She just said something that made me think of the way we got mated. You know, that you not really consented to this.”

“And neither did you.” The alpha’s tone made Castiel look up. “What? I am not allowed to think about that? If this was forced on me, it was forced on you, too. And it must be a lot more frightening for you.” Dean coughed nervously. “I told you this before and I will say it again: I am not upset about this bond. On the contrary. I have felt more grounded and content this last couple of days than I have in a long while, if ever. And even though I might not have claimed you knowingly, I do not regret it. I like the thought that you are my mate. Not just any omega. _You_ , Cas.”

Castiel took a deep breath to prevent himself from crying. But even so, a few single tears made their way down his face. For the last couple of days, both the uncertainty of his situation and his flip-flopping hormones had his emotions in a jumble. Dean stroked the tears away with his thump and kissed his omega on the forehead. Castiel turned his head to the side and breathed in deeply. Then he let out a happy sigh at his mate’s perfect scent.

“She was also flirting with you.” Castiel mumbled after another minute.

Dean chuckled lightly. “She flirts with everyone, Cas. That is part of her job – at least in her opinion. And she is very good at what she does. I mean _professionally_. Just you wait, now that you are enrolled, she is probably gonna flirt with you as well.” Dean growled playfully. “At least when I am not around.”

 

>><< 

 

As soon as they were back at Dean’s beloved Impala, the alpha remembered that he wanted to withdraw some cash while they were at the bank and he hurried back in. Castiel decided to wait in the car, but in the end, since he felt still restless from his emotional outburst, he just paced up and down in front of the building.

“… Dean Winchester. I mean, what is he like?” The female voice sounded overly excited.

Castiel stood stock still. For a moment, he was confused until he noticed he was standing next to an open window at the very bank he just had visited. He should leave. This could get extremely embarrassing if he got caught.

“He seems rather shy, actually, really sweet… I mean, he _blushed_ when I hinted at their sex life!” Those were definitely Bela’s British vowels.

“Really? I know a lot of alphas insist that their mates must be untouched. But who would have thought that Dean Winchester would fall for a prude!” The high-pitched female voice again.

“Who says he fell for anyone? I am still convinced that this omega tricked him into mating. I mean… Dean Winchester! That man could have anyone, but until now, no one has gotten a hold on him. I am sure he was somehow set up.” The third voice was male.

“Oh Ed, stop with your bullshit.” Bela again. “I am the first one to admit that Dean Winchester is not the sharpest tool in the box, but he is not stupid either. And he has dead-on instincts. There is no way he would live with an omega who tricked him into claiming. Much less would he open his bank accounts to them. But don’t worry, you can both still drool over the glorious alpha any time he comes in. I mean, it’s not like he has noticed you ever before.”

“Not true! Once I _accidentally_ dropped my files and he helped me pick them up. With the most gorgeous smile ever.”  The woman sighed like a love-sick heroine in some historical romance.

“Besides, just because he is mated, does not mean he cannot have a little fun on the side, right? I would definitely still be available…” This Ed started to get on Castiel’s nerves.

“Right, Ed. Whatever gets you going in the morning.” Bella snorted – and for that alone the omega liked her a tiny bit more than before.

“I am just saying. Alphas do have a vast _appetite_ , especially someone so heavenly dominant. And one prude little angel can hardly meet those demands.”

“Maybe he likes innocent virgins? I could totally pull that off.” Female-non-Bela chirped in.

“A little tip: Don’t try to hit on Dean too hard. He might have thought it amusing before, but believe me, he will not appreciate it now.”

“You are one to talk. You always flirt with him.”

“Yes, but in a professional please-be-comfortable-and-give-me-all-your-money kind of way; not in a lets-cheat-on-your-mate-manner. Dean knows the difference, trust me. He is way too good at it himself.”

“You know… most alphas believe you cannot actually _cheat_ on an omega. Since alphas are supposed to _spread their seed_.” Should Castiel ever meet this Ed in person, he was totally going to punch him. But he was honest enough with himself to admit that his words only stung so much because they were aiming right at his established insecurities. There was no reason for Dean to focus his _attention_ only on Castiel. Neither was it uncommon for alphas to look for a bit of diversion.

Bella groaned. “Okay. I tried. But don’t come running to me when you get snarled at. Just one more thing: If Dean Winchester has one character trait, it’s that he is loyal to a fault. He has now picked a mate for whatever reason. Even if it was just a hunch on a Friday night because he had nothing better to do and was wasted – he is now mated. And he is going to take that bond seriously, no matter how prude or how sluttish his omega might be.”

Castiel heard a door slam at the same time as he saw Dean walking towards the car. He tried to put on a neutral face and got in the car himself. Overhearing this conversation left him in an inner turmoil of contradicting feelings.

He was jealous – but he obviously had to get used to other people eying up his mate. It’s not like he could blame anyone for that. He was both uncertain of not having been _untouched_ when he met Dean (since yes, a lot of alphas expected that from a mate – to be only _theirs_ and possessive stuff like that) and at the same time of not being experienced enough to please him. Then again, the alpha had always radiated contentment and satisfaction after their matings. But that Ed had played right to his fears. Scenes of him waiting timidly for Dean to come home while the alpha enjoyed some company elsewhere were running through his mind. On the other hand, Bela had sounded so certain, that Dean would not do something like that. Castiel tried to hold onto that thought and black out everything else he had heard.

Dean must have picked up on the mixed feelings coming off his mate because he looked at him suspiciously every now and then. But he didn’t say anything – Castiel seemed calm enough to not alarm the alpha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter was a bit technical (and the overhearing part is like the cheesiest thing ever); – next one will have more happy/fun stuff (also not-so-happy-stuff).


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: There will be more about Castiel´s past with Alastair in this chapter. It is not too graphic but it´s not pleasant either and if you read the previous chapters (which I am sure you have – otherwise: why are you starting a story at 11?), I think it is obvious what it´s going to be about. If this is something you do not want to read/know – skip the last paragraph!

Chapter ELEVEN

The omega was so absorbed in his own thoughts after they had left the bank that he didn’t even ask where they were headed next. He half-expected to get back home so he was a bit surprised when Dean parked the car in front of a huge furniture store.

He looked questioningly at a grinning alpha.

“I thought we should look for a bigger bed. You know, our improvised nestling might feel a bit cramped real soon.”

Castiel’s eyes widened and he was out of the car and on his way to the entrance before Dean had even opened his door. The alpha followed him, chuckling lowly, and without giving Castiel the opportunity to get embarrassed about his behaviour, Dean had taken his hand and the omega could not feel anything but bubbling joy. He was sure he was radiating with it. Walking through the aisles, hand in hand with a gorgeous and kind alpha, buying a nestling bed – it felt surreal to Castiel; but in a good way.

When they arrived at the exhibited beds, a clerk explained to them that they could try out any nestlings they wanted as long as they took off their shoes first. Castiel was in socks before you could even blink. He knew he was being silly and probably looked like a hyped child on a chocolate-rush – but for the last 15 years he had dreamed of possessing a bed like one of those in front of him and he was just too excited to care. From the way Dean just smiled, it seemed he was not bugged by the omega’s enthusiasm. Quite the opposite.

The omega took the testing seriously and lied in half a dozen of the beds on display. He told Dean which ones he liked best and hoped Dean would also enjoy one of those. During the whole time, however, the omega’s eyes kept flickering to a certain nestling. It was not even one of the biggest but it looked especially soft and the half-nest was ordered in a way that it seemed to offer the perfect balance of protective but not confining. It was also pretty expensive so Castiel didn’t want to even try it out. He would feel rude for assuming too much.

The alpha had also stepped out of his shoes but he hadn’t lain down once; he just observed Castiel’s reactions to the various beds, obviously enjoying the childlike enthusiasm of his mate. After some time, he walked directly to the one bed Castiel kept glancing at and sat down on it.

“What about this one, Cas?”

Castiel looked at his mate, perplexed, but of course he followed him and lay down on the omega side. As soon as he was on his back he let out a happy sigh. This was magnificent – even better than he had imagined. The bed felt soft and cosy and sheltering. And with Dean right next to him, it was perfect. The omega practically purred.

“So… this one it is?” Dean asked with a smile.

“Yes. I mean… I like it. And if you like it as well…”

“Oh, I like it. It is comfortable but not too soft. And it still leaves plenty of room…”

Suddenly the alpha rolled on top of Castiel. He took the omega’s hands and gently held them down over his head. Castiel instinctively opened his legs so Dean could settle between them. The alpha leaned down, but just as Castiel expected to be kissed – he was flipped over. Now Dean was on his back and Castiel was on top, straddling the alpha. Castiel’s breathing had already become irregular but at this position he nearly hyperventilated. The fact that Dean’s alpha strength allowed him to rearrange the omega so easily just added to the sensation. Castiel could feel his body reacting and he moved his hips experimentally.

Dean just smirked up at him. “Like I said, enough room.” He sat up, so they were both in a sitting position with Castiel in Dean’s lap. The alpha let his hips roll upwards, just once, but it was forceful enough to draw a little moan out of Castiel. Dean then kissed his mark which only aroused Castiel more.

The alpha whispered lowly into his ear: “Maybe tonight we could try it like that…”

Castiel escaped another moan at the thought of taking Dean in while he was on top of him and he wondered why they had to wait until tonight.

Then it hit him. They were in the middle of a furniture store! He looked around frantically but no one seemed to take any interest in them. Maybe it was commonplace for the employees to see alpha/omega-couples rolling around in the nestling beds. Castiel blushed deeply while Dean gently laid him down on his back again.

“Why don’t you stay here while I get a buying order.”

Whit a quick peck on Castiel’s lips, the alpha left to find a clerk. Castiel was grateful for that since it gave him the opportunity to calm down. It bewildered him how easily he got aroused these days. He had never been that much interested in sex – at least not after he had met Alastair and was convinced that it was only pleasurable for the alpha. From what he had learned in school and what his family had taught him – the alpha’s enjoyment was the one important thing about the act. But with Dean, he had learned that sex could be in fact very much satisfying for an omega. And now he was practically leaking any time his mate was doing something remotely sensual. That fact strangely pleased him as much as he felt embarrassed by it.

 

>><< 

 

Back in the car, Dean looked at Castiel pensively until the omega could not take it anymore.

“Is something wrong?”

“We should get something to eat. I thought… I wanted to go to the Roadhouse with you. It’s a diner I often visit. The owners are good friends of mine and they have the best burgers you ever tried. But… this day has been exciting enough already and we will see Ellen and Jo tomorrow anyway. You would rather go home and relax a bit? I mean, otherwise there will probably be some more nosy questions. And hugging.”

Even though the alpha’s tone was light, he watched Castiel with a concerned expression. Of course, that sent just another warm feeling to the omega’s stomach. Dean really tried to be considerate. And even though Castiel felt exhausted – since he got up that day he had experienced more different emotions than he normally would have in a month – he was also curious to meet more friends of Dean’s. The alpha had mentioned Ellen and Jo before and Castiel knew they were like family to him. Since everyone he had met so far had been incredibly nice to him, he had also lost some of his initial anxiousness.

“A burger sounds great, Dean.”

Castiel tried to sound as convinced as possible.

 

>><< 

 

Dean had been right about the hugging. The moment the couple walked into the diner, a pretty blonde with a waitress apron had thrown herself at his alpha with an excited cry.

“Dean! There you are! About time.”

She pulled back and beamed at the omega. “You must be Castiel. Hi! I’m Jo. Welcome to the family.”

Now it was Castiel’s turn to nearly suffocate in a tight embrace. Afterwards, he managed to mumble out a _Hello_ , accompanied by a shy smile. He could get used to those greetings. The last couple of days had shown him how touch-starved he had been all those years. He wondered if part of his tautness had come from that. Physical contact with other people was something omegas usually craved. Castiel had always thought he was different and just didn’t fit that cliché but he started to suspect that maybe – not so much.

“I am so excited for you two. You know, I have known Dean _forever_!” She led them to a table and the pair took their seats, but instead of leaving them Jo sat down as well and kept talking. “I am a bit disappointed that it took you so long to come here. I was just giving you one more day. But tomorrow, I would have knocked down your door, Winchester!”

“That would have been a bit of an overreaction since we are all invited to Sam’s tomorrow anyway.”

They chatted for a while until a stern looking woman came to their table and hushed Jo away since _the other patrons can hardly be expected to just go to the kitchen and look for their food themselves_. Despite her words, the woman took the chair Jo had just left, grumbling. She introduced herself to Castiel as Ellen and welcomed him to the family just as her daughter had – but this time only with a handshake. At first, Castiel was a bit intimidated by the beta but soon he warmed up to her.

When Dean excused himself to go to the bathroom, Castiel watched as the alpha got stopped by Jo halfway, the beta whispering with him in an excited tone. Castiel could not hear the conversation but he got the impression that his alpha tried to avoid some probing questions.

Ellen followed his line of sight and smiled. “You must forgive her. She has been obsessed to find out some details about you since Saturday. She called both Sam and Charlie multiple times.”

Castiel had already assumed that news travelled fast in the Winchester pack. He was not sure how he felt about that. Then he stumbled over something else Ellen had just said.

“Saturday?” Castiel looked at her with astonishment. He had not even been claimed on Saturday.

“Oh yes. Bobby came by on Saturday. He might have hinted that he would not be surprised to see Dean settling down in the near future. Of course, none of us thought the future would be _that_ near.”

She chuckled lightly and Castiel had to fight a wave of guilt. He assumed that Ellen knew about the failed medication as well as Sam had (obviously Dean was not shy about that detail or the rumour mill just worked very fast) and he was afraid that she might resent him for it.  Maybe Castiel’s scent had changed clearly enough for even a beta to notice it in the crowded room or Ellen was just skilled at reading expressions – in any case, she seemed to know what he was thinking.

“Oh no, Castiel, I did not mean this as an accusation. We are all glad Dean has found someone, no matter the circumstances. And as I said, it did not come as a complete surprise.” She winked.

“But why? I mean, why would… Alpha Bobby…” Ellen frowned lightly at the title but Castiel really didn’t know how to refer to the man otherwise. He didn’t know his surname and he had met him just once under highly unusual circumstances. In his experience, alphas did not tolerate disrespect so he wanted to be on the safe side here.

“Dean isn’t in the habit of bringing omegas in heat to his home. So I guess Bobby thought that meant something. And it does.” Before Castiel could object by admitting that he practically barged in unannounced, the beta went on. “He also said that Dean snarled at him. Something the boy obviously had not done since he was fifteen and Bobby ate the last pie.”

“Last pie? You mean, there is no pie?” The voice of the mighty alpha sounded almost timid and the look on his face was nothing short of adorable.

Ellen just rolled her eyes as Dean came back. Half a minute later, their ordered burgers arrived and Ellen left them to eat. When they were finished, their table was visited again, this time by a beta named Ash – who brought them some pie to Dean´s delight. Castiel thought him a bit strange – not only because of the weird haircut – but he could see that Dean liked him well so he tried to keep an open mind about this beta.

They said their goodbyes and Castiel felt like he could get used to visit this place quite often. The food was delicious, the company even better and the whole restaurant felt oddly safe. He had never liked public places and normally would rather eat at home – and only after they had left did Castiel realise that he had been completely at ease in the Roadhouse.

 

>><< 

 

When they returned home, Castiel basically crashed on the couch. He was so overwhelmed by the events of the day, he could hardly keep his eyes open. He had met many new people and had experienced a whole rainbow of emotions in just a few hours – from joy to angst to relief to nervousness to affection.

Dean suggested that they should just hang out for the rest of the day – and so they did. Castiel read a few pages in one of his _comfort-book_ s (as he called the books he had read over and over again) until he dozed off on Dean’s shoulder while the alpha was watching some football game or another. A couple of hours later, they prepared a quick dinner and Dean introduced the omega to the world of Star Trek, showing him a few episodes of the original series.

“I don’t understand… didn’t Charlie and Kevin say there was something going on between Spock and the doctor? I mean, he is obviously in love with the Captain.”

“Yes! I know! Everyone knows!” Dean replied more enthusiastic than the topic seemed to imply. “The UST between Spock and Kirk is killing me.”

Castiel frowned: “No, I meant Bones and Kirk – they are behaving like an old mated couple. A happily mated couple.”

Dean sighed with such exaggerated despair that Castiel just snickered. In turn, the alpha suggested they should just go to sleep – before they could start their first fight over a 50-years old TV show.

Just as he had promised, Dean switched them around in bed with Castiel on top of him. At first, the omega felt overwhelmingly shy in this position but oddly exhilarated at the same time. He was blushing furiously, feeling self-conscious, and it took him a while to figure out where to put his hands or how to move fluently. It was harder than he had expected, but Dean encouraged him with words and gestures and eventually Castiel found the right rhythm.

Just before he fell asleep, out of nowhere, he thought about the collared omega in the waiting room that morning and how different his day must have been.

 

>><< 

 

“Castiel?”

“Cas! Wake up, sweetheart!”

Castiel felt hands on his shoulders, shaking him. He opened his eyes and saw the handsome face of his mate looming over him.

“Dean!”

With that simple word, relief washed over the omega. He needed a few seconds to take in his surroundings and orientate himself. He lied in bed with his mate – “Dean,” he said again to affirm himself – it was still dark outside and the bedside lamp was lit. Castiel was soaked in cold sweat and even he could easily pick up on the panicked scent coming off him. His mate’s scent was bitter as well, concern floating in the air.

“Dean,” he said a third time, just because. He let his mate breath in deeply at his neck and he calmed down as the scents in the room started to lose their sting.

“I am sorry for scaring you, Dean. It was just a bad dream.”

The alpha pulled back and studied Castiel’s face. Dean still looked haunted. “A bad dream? Cas, this was not just a bad dream. You smell yourself? And I could not wake you up for minutes! Tell me, please. What had you so scared?”

“I was dreaming that I was… mated. But not to you. To another alpha. Maybe seeing those other omegas today got to me… but it was just a dream, Dean.”  He said again, not only to calm Dean but also because Castiel himself was still shaken. Dean was right, this had not been a normal dream. It had felt so _real_ , Castiel could still make out details like smells and sounds…

Dean was still hovering above him, extremely tense, holding himself up to not crush Castiel. The omega was grateful for it. He wanted to feel Dean around him and to let his senses flood over with the strong scent of his mate.

“A random alpha? Or someone you know?”

How did he do that? Sometimes Castiel thought Dean could read his mind – at least he always seemed to know when Castiel was trying to hide something from him. He would not ever make the mistake of directly lying to his alpha.

Castiel swallowed. “Someone I know.”

Dean finally rolled down, pulling Castiel with him so that both men were lying on their sides, face to face.  He turned off the light and stroked gently up and down the omega’s back.

“You know, you can tell me about him, Cas. You don’t have to, but maybe you would feel better after talking about it.”

Castiel had heard that before. From his doctor as well as the caregiver in therapy. Eventually, he _had_ talked about Alastair, both to Meg and Hannah who he had met in a session. And it _had_ helped. However, he was scared how his mate would react to his past. Would he be angry or disgusted? Would he hunt down his abuser? Or throw Castiel out? It was one thing to know he had been with an alpha before, to hear all the gory details was something else entirely. But he felt like he wanted to tell Dean about those heats, he wanted his mate to know – regardless of how he would react.

Right now, in the safety of the dark, with his alpha’s scent and gentle touches calming his nerves, he thought he could.

“His name is Alastair.” He started hesitantly. “I was in college when I met him, just after I turned 21. He… he seemed to be fixated on me from the second he saw me. He followed me around… I mean he showed up _everywhere_. The cafeteria, the library, the corridors in front of my class rooms. There was hardly a day I didn’t see him multiple times and his appalling scent was lingering everywhere. It was scaring me. I never talked to him and I generally tried to stay only in crowded places, where there would be security guards. I lived in a single room with my own tiny bath as do all omegas in school and whenever I was home I locked the reinforced doors.

“One day I woke up, overheated. I wrote emails to my professors and I was about to… take care of myself. And just as I lied in my bed… Alastair was suddenly there.” Dean tightened his arms around the omega but otherwise he kept still. “He… he stayed in my room the entire heat. I didn’t like anything he did to me, but I couldn’t… I was in heat so I could not deny him when he told me to...”

“After the first time…” For a second Dean’s grip got nearly painfully tight. “…I hadn’t seen him anymore. So I hoped he had gotten what he wanted and would leave me be – even though I sometimes felt watched or I could make out his scent. It had me running to the bathroom a couple of times. I was so repulsed by just smelling him I always had to throw up.  During my next heat, he came to my apartment again. The medication then was not as strong as it is now, so I had heats about every eight to ten weeks. He always seemed to know when my time was coming before I did.”

Castiel took a few deep breaths. Dean didn’t do anything but hold him, waiting for his mate to go on whenever he was ready. Castiel was grateful for that.

“He was very sadistic. He knew I didn’t want him and I think that turned him on even more. That I didn’t want him, but I still had to do anything he asked. He… he liked to hear me beg for him and every heat I was filled with something the entire time. When it wasn’t his knot, it was a dildo or a plug or a … bottle. But I was not allowed to come.” Castiel sobbed at that and buried his head in the crook of Dean’s neck while the alpha soothingly ran fingers through his hair. “I would beg and beg since he ordered me to – but he only let me come at the very end. I hardly slept or drank, I never ate. But I had to prepare food for him and while he ate I was to… to _get a taste of his cock_.” He shuddered and took another deep breath.

“After the second time, I tried to report him. I wanted to find some way to keep it from happening again. But they just asked me whether I had tried to resist or even simply told him no. I was in heat for God’s sake! An alpha tells you to do something, you do it! It´s not like this is a hardly known secret.

“But they did offer me to change my apartment and I hoped that maybe this was enough. I still don’t know how he got to my keys in the first place, but I swore to myself I would be more careful with the new ones. In the end of course, it didn’t matter. It seemed to both amuse and anger him that I had tried to trick him.

“After about a year, Alastair graduated and I finally had my peace.”

They lied in quiet for a while, Castiel practically glued to Dean’s body. The omega drank in the comforting scent and suddenly wondered at the pheromones Dean emanated. He had expected the alpha to be either furious or appalled, but he only smelled like _home_ and _safe_ and _protect_. There were some outraged undertones, but Dean obviously had superhuman control over his scent at the moment. Castiel basked in the sheltered feeling it sparked in him.

“He … the worst thing is that I couldn’t do anything to stop him. He insulted me and humiliated me – and I didn’t do anything to stop him. He always bit me violently and the marks would bleed for weeks.” Castiel reached with one hand for his neck. “What if I hadn’t been on meds and he could have claimed me…”

“But he didn’t, Cas. You are not tied to him, you are _my_ mate. And I will never treat you like that. I will always cherish you, always protect you. I will never expect you to do anything you don’t want to, heat or not.”

Dean paused for a moment, hesitating, and Castiel startled when he noticed the dulled scent of guilt in the room.

“I only regret I didn’t know … that I might have scared you … I know, I can be a bit _overbearing_ and I have not exactly acted restrained.”

Castiel nearly laughed, despite his tautness. “Dean, you were nothing but wonderful. I had no idea … I would have never imagined that I could feel this good during a heat. Or that I could _enjoy_ sex. I didn’t know there are alphas who want the omega to feel pleasure as well. No one has ever taken care of me before and you … just the way you touch me… and your wonderful scent…” Castiel knew he was rambling, but if the gentle purrs coming from his alpha were any indication, Dean didn’t mind, his alpha obviously preening at Castiel´s words.

“I will always take care of you, Cas. I _need_ to care for you. And of course, I want you to take pleasure in our matings. I could never enjoy it otherwise. Not all alphas are dicks and I want you to be happy, Cas.”

That night for the first time in years, Castiel cried. Not just a few quiet tears; he cried out everything he had. And though the alpha kept quiet, Castiel could swear he felt something wet dropping on his head at some point.

After about an hour of howling and choking, he felt oddly relieved. Dean still held him tightly, still stroked him soothingly, still gave off a strong scent of _safety_.

“I am glad, you told me, Cas. Thank you. This must have been hard.”

He felt Dean kiss his head and then the alpha rolled on his back, pulling Castiel with him so that the omega’s head rested just above Dean’s heart. Even though Dean’s scent was still as calming as before, Castiel could now feel more clearly how tense the alpha was. Like he was expecting to get attacked any second, ready to leash out.

All of a sudden, he remembered Dean’s line of work; how easily the alpha could track someone, for example, or make people disappear, probably…

“You know, Dean… you are not going to do anything… rash. Right?”

“Like what?”

“Like looking for Alastair and, you know,… _do_ something to him?”

Dean was quiet for so long that Castiel nearly panicked. He pushed himself up so he could look the alpha in the eyes, blurred by darkness.

“Please, Dean! Promise me you won’t! It’s not worth it. Please, Dean. It’s not going to change anything. I just want you here with me.”

Dean let out a long breath and responded in a strained voice: “All right, Cas. I promise I will not go and actively look for him. But if he ever in any way runs across you again, if I find out he as much as _looked_ at you – I don’t think I will be able to hold back. Even if I wanted to.”

Castiel realised that this was as much as Dean was willing to give – so he settled for it. When he lay back on the alpha’s chest, he sent out a silent prayer that he would never cross paths with Alastair again.

These were his last thoughts before a mixture of exhaustion and contentedness let him fall into a deep and dreamless sleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got so used to the twice-a-week updates – this felt like a really long week to me ;-)


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter TWELVE

 

The next day, the two men stayed at home and spent more time trying to get to know each other better. They hardly ever made it off the bed or alternatively the couch until late afternoon.

Basically, they talked. About their childhood. Their families. Their jobs – which had Dean very happy that Castiel would soon start working for his brother. Oddly enough, it took Dean for Castiel to comprehend just how much of the work he had been doing – and how little credit he got for it. He had to admit he liked to work on his own, and was insecure when he had to deal with strangers – but maybe, if he had ever experienced a bit of encouragement from his colleagues or superiors, he might have grown with the task.

Dean, on the other hand, was obviously content with his work situation. He mentioned, though, that he was rarely _out in the field_ anymore, since he wanted to keep track of all cases his company worked on and wanted to be included in the planning process so he could make sure no one was acting reckless – and that was just too time-consuming to do much outside work. Castiel was happy about that since he was convinced he would only worry whenever Dean was gone – and he told him as much.

“Yeah, tell me that again once I have gained thirty pounds with all the desk-duty.”

“Maybe you should just reduce your pie-consumption,” Castiel teased.

“Or maybe you could help me work it off.” Dean winked – and Castiel blushed.

After another make-out-session – that was way too slow and lazy for anyone to lose any weight – Castiel told Dean how Gabriel had helped him to run away from his other brothers when he was barely nineteen.

“Luckily, a liberal college had accepted me. So, I didn’t need any alpha’s signature to start.”

“But your brothers? Did they just accept that you ran away? I mean, they sound like the kind of dickheads who would go looking for you and then drag you back. In a very not-nice way.” Dean bristled unconsciously. Today, the alpha seemed even more infuriated with Castiel’s brothers – the omega supposed that their talk about Alastair had provoked his protective streak to act out. Castiel just hoped that Dean would keep his promise and not go looking for the alpha. There had been a time when he wanted nothing more than for someone to cut off his head, but now he just wanted to leave the past behind him. He feared, if Dean hunted him down, Alastair would only be dragged back into his life. By the look on Dean’s face, Castiel prodded if he should ask for a similar promise regarding his brothers.

“Just after I was gone, my uncle Chuck interfered. And when _he_ says something, my brothers tend to listen.”

Dean chuckled: “They are afraid of a guy named Chuck?”

Castiel could not say if his mate was more amused by the name or simply happy at the thought of his brothers being scared.

“Yeah… it’s a bit odd. I only met uncle Chuck twice in my life. And he is … weird.”

“Weirder than Gabriel?” Dean asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Different weird.” Castiel smiled but soon sobered up at the thought of his uncle. “I met him once when I was still a child and I noticed that even my father was edgy around him. And then again later, after I presented. Chuck is… he looks like an omega. He talks and moves like an omega. I mean, all the stereotypes… And he hardly has any scent at all – unless you stand really close to him or he is very angry. Which he was at that time with my father. And then there is no doubt about his… _alphaness_. I mean, _your_ scent is strong, but Chuck… is simply overwhelming. But he seems somehow able to hide it most of the time, which makes it even scarier once it breaks out.”

Castiel shuddered lightly. He was not exactly scared of his uncle – and he would be eternally grateful for his actions – but there was something about him that made him feel uncomfortable. Dean’s dominant scent was calming and protective to Castiel while Chuck’s was just _too much_.

“Anyway, Gabriel told me, that just as our brothers had started the inquisition on him – his words – Chuck came by and announced that they should let me go. I wasn’t there, of course, but from what I heard my brothers tried to refuse at first. Gabriel likes to describe the argument that followed in colourful details and always ends with _godly wrath, if I have ever seen one_.”

“Wow. So, I guess you have one alpha in your family who is not a complete dick. Have you seen him since?”

“No.” Castiel blushed and Dean looked questioningly at him. “But I wrote him a thank-you-note.”

“Well, that was very courteous of you.” Just like Castiel had expected, Dean nearly fell off the couch, laughing.

“When do we have to be at your brother’s place?” Castiel tried to change the subject abruptly.

“Six-ish. Beforehand we need to stop at a bakery, though, pick up some pie. I am in charge of desserts today. And everyone knows: I always bring pie.” He said with such a disarming happy smile that should be illegal on a grown man.

Castiel glanced at the watch and then got off the couch and into the kitchen without another word.

He heard an indignant “Hey!” coming from the direction of the living room, but he already searched the cupboards and fetched all the ingredients he needed. He was peeling some apples when a disgruntled alpha stepped beside him.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like? I am going to make some pie. You have everything here. So why buy one?”

“Because it’s less work. And I always buy some. No one expects any different from me.”

“But now you have a mate. You should definitely bring home-made desserts.” Castiel’s movements turned a bit more rigid.

Dean laid a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to do this, Cas. No one will think any different of you if you don’t.”

Castiel leaned into his alpha’s touch and mumbled: “It’s all right. I actually enjoy baking very much.”

Dean looked at him like Christmas had come early.

 

>><< 

 

Having dinner with the Winchester pack was a messy affair.

It was loud and rough and chaotic and hilarious. In Castiel’s family, shared dinners had always been stiff. No one laughed, no one ever talked at the same time, and everyone knew their place. With the Winchesters, no one seemed to know their place. Obviously, there weren’t any places to know of.

They were seated around a large table – beside Dean and Castiel, there were Sam (who hugged Cas heartily the second he stepped over the doorstep), Jessica (Sam’s beta mate whom Castiel liked right away), Bobby (who told Castiel gruffly that there was really no need for any respectful titles since they were family), Ellen and Jo (who treated Castiel like he had been here, sitting with them, his whole life). Other than this _core family_ (as Jessica put it) they had also invited Charlie (again with the enthusiastic hugging), Sully (an omega friend of Sam who looked like the ideal candidate for a job at a nursery school) and another alpha, Benny, a close friend of Dean’s.

When Dean introduced the two men, Benny smiled openly and it was obvious to Castiel that he tried to seem as innocuous as possible. Castiel just didn’t know if that was more for his sake or Dean’s. Benny glanced quickly at Dean and then offered his hand to Castiel who hesitantly took it. At the table, the alpha was seated as far away from him as possible and Castiel hardly noticed him at all in the jumble of jokes, childhood stories and teasing.

He only heard Benny ask about a certain Lisa once and if her roof was still holding. His tone was light – so Castiel perked up when Benny asked the question again, in the same seemingly circumstantial manner. A minute later, when no one had responded, he asked whether Ben had succeeded in some maths test he had been studying for. However, the alpha never got an answer for any of his questions as at least three people were always talking at the same time and it was hard to find someone to listen.

Castiel, usually a listener at heart, was fired at with numerous questions and in this joyful atmosphere, he was not even nervous to answer. The questions were very different, though. Sam would ask him about his work, Ellen and Bobby seemed interested in his family and upbringing, and both Jo and Charlie asked completely random – and sometimes weird – questions.

When they were finished with a vast amount of different meats, salads and vegetables, everyone helped clearing the table or getting new plates for dessert. This was just another major difference to the family meals Castiel was used to. When Dean got a couple of soda bottles, placing one in front of himself and one for his mate, Sam glanced at his brother with an intent look that Castiel could not interpret. His mate just shrugged, a sheepish expression on his face that had a soft smile ghosting around Sam´s lips.

While everyone was still praising Castiel´s pies – there might also have been some jokes on Dean´s account – the omega nearly fell off the chair when Charlie asked out of the blue if he, too, thought that the description of omegas in the media was unbearable.

All three alphas in the room groaned – while the rest of the group engaged in a heated conversation about the topic. Castiel only nodded occasionally, blushing heavily at times – but as much as he felt uncomfortable with the subject (in front of alphas!), he enjoyed their attitude a lot.

“I mean, it seems like all they are good for is whimpering in fear until they are saved by a mighty alpha – or in rare cases even a beta – and then they spend their time praising their mates´ strength. And even if you have an omega with a job that needs some brains, they seem to be some sorts of superhumans who still have the time and nerves to look after their children with a happy smile and of course they are always willing to have sex with their mates.” Jo was obviously right on board with Charlie´s criticism.

“And don´t forget how they always look like _proper_ omegas,” Sam interjected. “They are always so pretty and… _petite_.” The omega straightened to show off his full height – and that earned him a sweet kiss from his beta mate, erasing the frown from his face. All night, Castiel had observed that the couple was seemingly unable to keep their hands off each other for more than five minutes.

Benny once tried to chip in with a comment – but a subtle hand on his forearm from Bobby and a barely noticeable shake of the head from Dean held him back. The next time, Benny showed any indication to say something, Dean mumbled under his breath: “It’s not worth it, man. There is no way you come out of this unharmed. No matter what it is you want to say.”

This earned him an outraged “Hey!” from Jo as well as an elbow to his stomach from Charlie.

But obviously those reactions just confirmed Dean’s beliefs since he turned to Benny again and mouthed: “See what I mean?”

After nearly five hours of laughter, heated discussions and teasing banter, Dean and Castiel were on their way home and the omega felt a joyous tingle in his stomach at the thought of spending each Thursday in that kind of atmosphere.

 

>><< 

 

On Friday, Castiel called his friend Hannah. Spending the last couple of days nearly non-stop at Dean’s side had been surprisingly nice – especially for someone who was used to being alone – but he hoped his friend would have time to meet up soon. He looked forward to talk with an omega friend. Especially a mated one who might be able to shed some light on his constant confusion.

It bothered Castiel how easily he had settled into his mated state. It was not even a week and he thought of Dean’s apartment as his home, he already considered Sam family and there was no doubt that Dean had suddenly become the most important person in his life. He knew this was a good thing – better than the other way around, right? – but it was still unsettling to accept some stranger so easily into his life.

Dean encouraged him to visit with his friend, proclaiming that the book they got from Meg advised a new mated couple to spend much time together – but also to look for opportunities to _hold onto their emotional autonomy outside the strong bond between alpha/ omega mates_. Castiel just blinked, having a hard time believing that Dean had actually read the book, _and_ was able to quote from it.

“Hey, I can read. And I have a lot of time until you wake up.” Dean grinned; Castiel blushed. He had been sleeping a lot this week. “Don’t worry, the book also says the omega needs a lot of rest to acclimate to the bond in a healthy way. And I never sleep more than five hours anyway.”

Castiel called his friend in the bedroom while he picked up a few more items from one of his half-forgotten boxes.

Fortunately, Hannah was free today and clearly eager to meet, especially after Castiel mentioned his new circumstances. To agree on a time was easy, to agree on a place not so much. At first, Hannah was supposed to come by Castiel’s new place – but she called again minutes later and informed him bashfully, that Gadreel did not like for her to visit the home of a strange alpha. Castiel was surprised – Gadreel normally never interfered with Hannah’s choices – but he shrugged it off and decided that he would just come to their home instead. Turned out, Dean was not too happy with that. The alpha did not say anything per se, other than that he would drive Castiel there and then he would like to meet his friend _and_ her mate in person – at that moment his scent had become so bitter that Castiel called Hannah for a third time that day and they ended up meeting in a café, on neutral ground so to speak.

Despite his initial eagerness for Castiel to spent some time without him, Dean turned more and more agitated before Castiel left – which had the omega wonder if there would always be such a fuss whenever he tried to leave the house. The alpha asked multiple times if Castiel was sure he wanted to take the bus – Dean would be happy to drive and wait up on him – and he repeatedly had his hands on Castiel’s neck or in his hair. Which earned him a grumpy frown since Castiel had just spend half an hour in front of a mirror, trying to tame his hair.

Castiel was persistent, though, and for the first time since he was a claimed omega, Castiel left the apartment on his own. And he enjoyed it immensely. He felt much more confident, walking around town, than ever before. He also relished the moments away from Dean – if only because it showed him he was still his own person and did not need his alpha around him all the time.

When Castiel arrived at the café, Hannah had already occupied a table in a quiet corner. The two omegas fell into each other’s arms and both scented each other deeply. Castiel pulled back first, beaming at his friend.

“Oh my, Hannah! Congratulations! How far in are you?”

Hannah looked back at him and he could see the sheer joy in her eyes. His friend had wanted to get with child since she and Gadreel had mated, but had been afraid that she couldn’t. Since she never got pregnant with her deceased mate.

“Just seven weeks.”

Castiel had been nearly bursting with questions about matings, but at this moment he was just happy for his friend and the omegas talked about Hannah’s morning sickness or Gadreel’s increased protectiveness.

“It’s why he didn’t want me to go to your place. He has gotten nearly paranoid and basically growls at any stranger who looks at me for more than a second. And I am probably enjoying this more than I should. Maybe my hormones are making me act out of character as well.” Hannah pushed her cup away from her, folded her arms on the table and leaned towards Castiel in an almost conspiratorial manner. “But enough about me. Let’s talk about you and your mate.” She looked Castiel directly in the eyes. “You look well. Better than that, you look _happy_. When I got a whiff of that strong scent I was worried, but I have just seen you smile as much as I have in the last year.”

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Castiel pouted.

Hannah laughed: “Because it’s true.”

“Yes, I am happy. But I am also confused.” As briefly as he could, Castiel summarised the events of the last week. He told Hannah how he got claimed, and how Dean had acted these last couple of days.

“I have known this man for only a week – and I never ever wanted to be mated. But I am so happy!” The distressed grimace on Castiel’s face while saying that had Hannah laugh again. “I mean…. Is that normal? After you got mated, I noticed you were basically _glowing_ – but you and Gadreel had known each other for a while. And you chose this.”

“Believe me, Cas, this is not normal. Don’t forget, I was mated before – and there is no comparison to how I feel today.” Castiel felt bad for reminding his friend of her old mate. Metatron had been neglectful and short-tempered. There was a reason why the two omegas met at a self-help group. Hannah’s mate had just died of a stroke – the death of an alpha was the only way an omega could break a bond. It was still painful and arduous. But Hannah was strong-minded and had preserved. She had started to work again and frankly Castiel had always been envious of how Hannah would still go out and meet with friends, not letting her fear get the best of her.

And then came Gadreel. When they met the first time, the alpha was so busy staring at her that he walked right into a street lamp. Hannah always laid great emphasis on this detail, claiming that she would have never considered another alpha if he hadn’t looked so adoringly cute. Once, Castiel had seen her tell this story with Gadreel right next to her; the alpha only grimaced at the notion that his omega found him to be cute. Couldn’t be easy for an alpha.

An omega breaking a bond, was rare. An omega mating with an alpha twice, was practically non-existent. Alphas didn’t desire omegas who had been claimed before, at least that was common belief.

“Your scent is not the only thing that changes instantly. Your … mood changes as well. You are spiritually linked to an alpha now and your emotions react to this alpha. This may not be explicable, but you instinctually know this man from the start and you should trust the feelings this bond sparks in you. I know, hearing about this in omega class and experiencing it for yourself are two very different things.

“When I met Metatron for the first time, after my family had arranged the union, I was immediately feeling timid. I didn’t like his scent – or anything else about him to be honest. He was not exactly the shining white alpha-knight I had been dreaming about. But after he claimed me, it got a lot worse. I was constantly nervous, on edge. I felt abandoned before he even left me for a day. It was like I instantly knew what kind of person he was and it turned out I was right. He would leave for weeks, absorbed in his work, he never thought about me twice and even when he was around he was so choleric that I lived in constant fear of saying or doing the wrong thing. He hardly ever laid a hand on me, but there are different forms of abuse, especially with someone tied to you. But you know this already. And after he died… it was hard to get those feelings out of my system since they had constantly accompanied me for years.

“With Gadreel, though – when I woke up after we mated, my world had changed just as much as with Metatron. But this time, I was full of joy. And I felt _strong_.” She took one of Castiel’s hands in hers. “So, if your mate managed to make you feel so protected and happy in just a matter of days, this tells me that he will take good care of you. And you of him.”

“But it is still so confusing. I never wanted a mate; I had constant nightmares about this. On Monday, I thought this big a change in my life would take months to get used to. But waking up next to Dean, having his scent around, simply watching TV together or even meeting with his friends – it already feels so normal.  I feel like I’m trapped in a spiral of being happy and then confused about it and then I’m angry at myself for being content to be dependent on an alpha!”

“Can I give you some heartfelt advice?”

“I’m pretty sure I’m gonna get it no matter what,” Castiel mumbled, but with a smile.

“Do not overthink it. You are happy. This is a good thing. And I know – you being you – it is your first instinct to question everything. But in this case, just try to go with your gut.

“This could have been horrible, I know. You could have gotten claimed by a vicious alpha or simply someone who steals himself away from the responsibility while you had to suffer through claiming-abandonment. But your Dean was obviously ready to step up.

“And you know, the omega is not the only one who is altered by the bond. I don’t know what the claim did to Metatron, but Gadreel tells me that he suddenly felt the urge to protect me and care for me and encourage me. Much stronger than he had before. And my guess is, that your man is just as much pumped on alpha-mate-hormones. And he is probably trying to get a grip on it as much as you are.”

“I just hope I can meet you and Gadreel on my own someday. Dean seems perfectly at ease with people he knows, though. I have met two alphas and a couple of betas by now, and he really doesn’t seem to mind if they are close to me or even touch me. But as soon as we are with strangers, he looks at everyone suspiciously.”

“Just give him time. He is probably as confused as you and needs to feel assured in this bond. You know, like there is no one who will challenge his claim. Of course, he also might feel like he needs to protect you which can be a bit constricting. Especially for someone who has been living on his own for so long. Gadreel has been the same in the beginning – and look at me now!”

Castiel raised an eyebrow and looked around pointedly – underlining how they have not met at Castiel’s place as planned.

Hannah huffed. “Yeah maybe not right-in-this-moment-now. But the non-pregnant version of me.”

 

>><< 

 

When he came back home, light-hearted, Castiel was surprised that Dean was not pouncing him as soon as he stepped into the apartment. He had partly expected the alpha to linger near the door, urgently checking that he was still in one piece – at least that was the impression Dean had given when Castiel left.

“Dean? I’m back,” Castiel yelled after he had not found him in the kitchen or the living room.

“Upstairs, baby.”

Castiel went to the bedroom – and was absolutely horrified at the sight in front of him.

Dean lay on the bed, a book in hand. One of Castiel’s books. One of the books he had read about 100 times – and that was exactly what it looked like.

Dean grinned at him like a cat as he showed him the cover more clearly. The picture showed a ridiculously broad-shouldered alpha with a bandana and a halfway open shirt – while the male omega in his arms seemed to have skipped clothes altogether and looked at the alpha with an enraptured expression. It was one of Castiel’s favourite books, and sometimes he hated himself for that. Even before his mate had laid his hands on it.

“What--- where did you get that?” Castiel was torn between embarrassment and anger – had Dean searched through his things? He did not like that thought at all.

“It was lying right here, on the bed.” Dean still had that smug look on his face. And he was right, Castiel noticed with shock, he had been looking for something in one of his still packed boxes – and then Hannah’s call had distracted him and he simply forgot about it.

“I thought you might have left it on purpose. You know, so I could get a few ideas. Pirates, though? I mean, really? You want me to get a hook or a peg-leg?” Dean’s smirk just got wider by the second.

“No, of course not. This was an accident.” Castiel gnawed at his bottom lip. “And Captain Roberts needs neither of those things.” For the life of him, Castiel could not prevent himself from defending the non-existent love of his romance-book-life. And that just resulted in more embarrassment.

“Oh, relax, Cas. I just couldn’t stop myself from peeking in. If this seems racy to you, I just hope you never find my porn collection.”

He tugged at Castiel’s arm and the omega fell on top of his mate who was quick to kiss him.

“And maybe we can get a few ideas from those books of yours, after all. You know, there seem to be some pages you have definitely enjoyed more than others…”   

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter THIRTEEN

 

For once, Castiel woke up surprisingly early; his mate had only made it to the bathroom so far. As Dean stepped out – hair still damp and dressed in only a pair of jeans – he grinned at the omega, pleased to see those bright blue eyes so early in the morning.

Castiel answered with a smile of his own and the alpha seemed unable to stop himself as he leaned down and kissed his mate good morning. What began as a chaste greeting, soon turned more heated until Dean lay atop of Castiel and kissed a trail down his chest.

Castiel opened his thighs invitingly, showing the alpha without words that he was completely on board with where this was going. While Dean sucked lightly at a nipple, his hands painted a featherlight trace over Castiel’s body – since the omega had told his mate about Alastair, Dean’s touches had always been distinctly gentle, almost reverent, careful. Castiel didn’t want to complain – he definitely was not complaining – but he didn’t want Dean to hold back either. He liked this tender love-making, liked that Dean always wanted to make sure Castiel was consenting to everything that happened, but Castiel would be lying if he denied that he also loved it when his alpha let go a little. And he didn’t want Dean to overthink everything. Didn’t want Alastair to stand between them.

Castiel bared his neck, leaving his mark open to Dean – he had found out that his mate would be easily aroused by this gesture. Dean didn’t disappoint as he growled lowly and started to grind down on the omega, nibbling lightly at his neck.

Just as things started to get more exciting, both men were ripped out of their pleasant haze – at the loud ring of the doorbell.

Dean pulled back and seemed almost confused for a moment; Castiel gazed to the watch and was no less surprised – it was just 07:08, and Saturday.

“Whoever they are, they’ll leave soon enough.”

Dean tried to focus his attention on his mate again, but Castiel had more trouble to get back into the right mood. He remembered that their last surprise visitor, Missouri, had not been stopped by them not answering the door. Also, if someone would come by unannounced this early, it might be important. And it was obviously someone Dean knew or else the security post would not have let them through without notice.

After about 20 seconds, the doorbell rang again. This visitor might not have a key, but they had endurance – for the door kept ringing in a loud shrill tone.

Dean groaned, but made otherwise no attempt to get up, so Castiel offered: “Should I go down and see who it is?”

Dean’s grip on him just tightened at Castiel’s words.

“Baby, if you are trying to move just a few steps away from me right now, none of us will be able to open the door in the foreseeable future.”

Castiel was confused for a second, until the obvious hit him. First lesson in omega class: Never run from an aroused alpha. Unless you wanted to be chased and have a knot shoved inside you as soon as you got caught. Apparently, it was nearly impossible for an alpha to resist the impulse to run after the omega.

Castiel shivered. The mere thought of being chased by an alpha had always terrified him. Fortunately, in this country, public omega races were prohibited. But only since about 70 years and there were enough places around the globe where the custom was still practised – and of course there were reports about illegal chases on the news occasionally.

Unmated omegas, preferably in heat, used to be round up for entertainment. They got a head start and then alphas would chase after them – the thrill of the hunt making them even less reasonable than they already were – and as soon as they caught on, the alpha would take the omega on the spot. In the old times, most omegas got claimed that way. And Castiel knew that chasing was still a common practice among mates.

As much as he had always been disgusted by the thought of enticing an alpha to chase after him – with Dean it seemed oddly arousing. So much so that Castiel felt a drop of slick running down his cleft.

Dean breathed in deeply and let out another groan – at the same time as the annoying sound of the doorbell echoed through the room again. This time, the alpha surrendered and stood. He grabbed a shirt on the way out and went downstairs. After a hesitant pause, Castiel did the same and followed his alpha to see who was making such a ruckus this early.

“…need you to talk to Claire. Right now. Another day of this and there will be bloodshed.”

Castiel stopped still. This didn’t sound reassuring. Was it some problem at Dean’s workplace? Or was this woman threatening his alpha? The omega let out a low almost-growl at the thought. Before he could see the speaker, Castiel looked at his mate and his stomach turned. He could swear that Dean looked terrified. Whatever this visitor wanted from him, he didn’t like it at all.

The visitor moved further into the room and Castiel could finally see her. It was a beta, but with the energy and persistence she radiated, she might easily be confused for an alpha at a distance.

Before Dean – or Castiel for that matter – could say another word, the woman glanced at the omega. Her eyes widened in shock and she stepped closer towards Castiel and sniffed. Outright sniffed – she wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it.

Just as quick as she had stepped into Castiel’s personal space, she spun around and glared at Dean with a furious expression. Castiel still had no idea who this woman was, but she was scary, although Dean looked more embarrassed than anything else.

“You mated? And you didn’t even care to tell me? How long has this been going on? I may live a few hours away, but I do own a phone, you know.”

It took Dean a moment to form words while he looked like a heavily scolded schoolboy. Obviously, he didn’t react fast enough for the beta and she just turned back to Castiel, holding out her hand.

“Hi, I’m Jody. A close friend of the Winchester boys. Although it seems, not as close as I thought.” Again, she glared at Dean. Castiel had instinctively taken the offered hand, but it was the alpha who answered.

“Of course, I would have told you. But this mating is not even a week old and it came sort of unexpected.” A cough. “So… Jody, this is Castiel.”

All Castiel could get out was a “Hello. Nice to meet you.” Accompanied by the attempt at a smile.

“You too, Castiel. And I am sure you two have an interesting story to tell – which I would very much like to hear over dinner tonight. Since Dean just agreed to visit me and my girls today.”

“What?” Dean didn’t seem to remember that.

“To talk to Claire?”

“Today? Now?”

“Of course today! I just drove three hours to get here – you think I did that just to see your pretty face when I ask you to come by whenever it is convenient for you? I’m here to take you with me. Right now.” She threw a tense smile at Castiel. “Of course, your mate is invited as well.”

“You know, I am not good with these sort of things,” Dean grumbled. “I don’t even know what exactly it is you expect me to do. Maybe you should find someone else. Someone who is better at this _talking_ stuff.”

“Oh sure. I just ask one of all the other alphas Claire has a somewhat trustful relationship with. I am so sorry I bothered you.” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Castiel remembered a few things he had heard about Jody since Dean had mentioned her before. She was a sheriff, had two girls – and Dean had met her on one of his first cases. The omega guessed that Claire was one of her daughters, but he still had no idea how the announced bloodshed fit in.

“Claire… she is one of your daughters, yes? And she needs help?” Castiel asked since the alpha only glared and was without a doubt thinking about another excuse.

Jody looked at Castiel with a grateful smile, obviously relieved to find an interested party in her problems.

“Yes, she is. Foster child, to be exact. She has been living with me and Alex, my other kid, for about two years now. Claire is 18 and she just presented as an alpha three months ago. Since then, there is no more peace and quiet in my house. And now she is nearing her first rut, which doesn’t make things any easier. She is even more short-tempered than before, picks a fight with everyone, including me, she doesn’t help around the house anymore and thinks she can drink alcohol!”

Dean seemed to think it a good idea to pick this exact moment to engage in the conversation again: “Well, technically, she is allow…” A furious glare shut him up quickly. “But of course, as long as she lives with you… I mean, your house, your rules. I just don’t know how I am supposed to help you here! Adolescent girls are not my area of expertise…”

“I want you to talk to her. Get some sense into her. You’re an alpha. You had ruts. You know what it’s like – I don’t. You also turned out to become quite level-headed, for an alpha. And you have learned to keep a lid on your instincts. So teach her.”

Dean opened his mouth again and judging by the look on his face, he was determined to argue some more.

“Please, Dean. Just try. I have no idea what else to do. But I am convinced that within the next 24 hours, I will have a body in my house. I just don’t know whether it’s going to be me, Alex or Claire. I can see that this is obviously a bad time and I’m sorry. But…” She shrugged in a helpless gesture.

Castiel still didn’t know all the details to this story, but he knew he would make a little trip today. Jody seemed to sense that Castiel was the easier target and she turned to him again.

“Please, come with me. I would very much like to get to know you. And I promise a good roast beef for dinner – assuming everyone will be alive by then.”

Without even looking at his mate, Castiel smiled warmly. “Of course, we will be glad to help out any way we can.”

Dean only groaned.

 

>><< 

 

About an hour later, the couple sat in Dean’s beloved Impala. Jody had not even stayed for a quick breakfast, but was already on her way back home. To make sure Claire would not be _wandering off_ when they arrived.

Castiel could clearly feel the nervous energy radiating off his alpha, making the omega feel equally tense.

“So… who exactly is this Claire? How did she end up with Jody? And Alex – she isn’t her natural daughter either, is she?” Castiel asked, partly because he was truly interested, partly because his alpha seemed in need of a distraction.

Dean let out a loud breath and stayed silent long enough for Castiel to assume he might not get an answer.

“Claire and Alex both live with Jody, but they are not her biological daughters, no. Alex is … sixteen, I think. Four years ago, Jody worked a case about a cult who abducted and brainwashed children – among other things. When the offenders ended up behind bars, Alex had no family left to go home to. So, Jody took her in. It was supposed to be a temporary solution, but in the end, they stayed together. They had their differences at first, but I think both of them gained from each other. Jody’s mate and son died years ago in a horrific fire and I was glad that she finally opened up to someone again. Alex presented as a beta a few years ago.”

Castiel just listened silently to Dean’s explanations, engrossed with the story of a lonely woman and the big heart it took to take in a traumatised child. The beta had seemed rough to Castiel, but she must have a kind soul.

“And Claire… I met Claire first. She was involved in a case I worked on and when I met her, both her parents had just been murdered. They tried to put her in an orphanage and with foster parents, but she kept running away and I had to catch her various times – before she could join the mob or something like that. Finally, I introduced her to Jody and it worked out, sort of.”

Castiel felt a warmth spread from his heart to the rest of his body. Dean had summarised the events quickly, very matter-of-fact, but for Castiel to know he had an alpha mate who was interested in the fate of a teenage girl, a stranger at that, was something to be cherished.

“They had some troubles, as it is to be expected with three traumatized women under one roof. But finally, they were all making it work – until the whole situation escalated when Claire presented as an alpha some weeks ago. Then, I received a middle-of-the-night-phone-call and just like today, I was on my way to Lakewood at an ungodly hour.

“Things seemed to have calmed down a bit, but I warned Jody that the real fun would start once Claire was in rut. Especially the first two or three times.”

Castiel had been too small to remember his eldest brothers in rut, but he had a few faint memories of Raphael – and they were not pretty. And of course, he remembered the alphas in school. All alpha teenagers were short-tempered, aggressive – and easily aroused. But when they were in rut, which normally happened 5-10 times in the years after they presented, they were basically ticking time bombs. If they had a strong enough alpha parent, they would mostly be kept in check – unless said alpha parents encouraged their children to _act on their instincts_.

Castiel could feel the tension filling the car again. But he still didn’t say anything, waiting for Dean to tell him what had him in such turmoil.

“And now Jody wants me to talk to her! Like I could magically make it go away! I mean, what am I supposed to do?”

For a moment, Castiel thought the question was rhetorical until he noticed the alpha was looking at him with an almost pleading expression – which unsettled Castiel not only because Dean should better fix his eyes on the street.

“Well… like she said, you have been in rut. She probably just wants you to share your experiences, give Claire some advice. So… what did you do while in rut?”

“I looked for someone I could either punch or fuck,” Dean answered as blunt as one could.

Castiel’s eyes widened and he was unable to hide the mortified look on his face. Had Dean been just like one of the alphas he had been so afraid of in school? The ones who picked on everyone who was weaker than themselves and lured constantly around the classrooms of the omegas.

“Oh.” Was all he could get out.

“Exactly. How can I teach her what to do when I wasn’t any better? I am far from being a role model.”

But Castiel was not yet ready to talk about Claire again. He was far more interested in Dean’s ruts. But it wasn’t like he could easily ask about them. Dean looked at him questioningly, scenting the growing concern in the air.

“So, your ruts… you got into a lot of fights?”

“Loads of them. I was constantly on edge. Of course, the adrenaline of a good fight only intensified … _other urges_.” Castiel’s scent got even sourer and Dean quickly added: “That was a long time ago. I’ve not exactly been a saint, Cas – but it’s not like I have ruts anymore. And I am mated now.”

Dean seemed to think that Castiel’s distress came from jealousy, but the omega was not so much threatened by the idea that his alpha had slept with various people before they met. He was appalled, however, that his mate might have behaved like one of his brothers.

Dean kept staring at him – again, Castiel thought the alpha should pay closer attention to the road – trying to figure out what had the omega so troubled. His concern provoked Castiel to try at an honest reply.

“I know. It’s just that I have never thought of you like that. In rut, you know. I have seen enough alphas in school to not like that idea too much.”

Dean rubbed one hand over the back of his neck, looking bashful. “Look, I was kind of a dick – but I wasn’t a bully. I mean, I started a lot of fights back then, but never with anyone who couldn’t hold their own. And I never forced anyone to mate with me.” His smile was a little too smug for someone who just neutrally stated that he never raped anyone. “Despite their aggression, alphas in rut suddenly seem very appealing to the other genders, much like omegas in heat. But I might have embellished the truth from time to time to get a good lay.”

There was an awkward silence for a couple of minutes in which Castiel had to process what he just heard. He couldn’t say that he liked the idea of his mate sleeping around and beating up anyone who gave him the slightest reason – no matter how capable they might have been to defend themselves – but he also believed that Dean had never been deliberately cruel.

“Look, Cas, I’m not even trying to defend myself here. But I would like to think I have matured a bit since then. And honestly, ruts are horrible and I would not like to go through one of them again. Especially the first ones. As an alpha, you just got pumped up with a lot of strength and aggression or rather the need to show everyone you are stronger than them. You want to challenge the whole world, just to rank yourself in some kind of invisible hierarchy. And then suddenly – it all gets so much worse. You go ballistic over the silliest things – I know I have yelled at Sam for absolutely nothing on countless occasions. On the other hand, I’ve become super-protective and wanted to beat up anyone who as much as looked at him. Of course, that feeling got a whole lot worse after he presented. And all that is kind of scary – which of course, for an alpha, simply means you get even more belligerent. And you are constantly horny. As if being a teenager would not be enough…” He stopped and thought for a second, then looked like he had an epiphany. “I guess, having your first heats must be just as confusing.”

Castiel did not answer the implied question directly, but said: “I think Jody was right and you should really talk to Claire.” Dean raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of topic. “I can’t talk about ruts, but like you said, having your first heats is very confusing. And I never had anyone to talk to. I mean, there was Gabriel, sure, but it is not the same as having someone who truly comprehends what you’re going through. And maybe, that is just enough. Or, you know, a start at least.”

Dean frowned: “Yeah, I remember Bobby having a couple of serious talks with me. They were not fun, though. And he made me do things like chopping wood for him. A lot. Or hunt. Hunting was fun.” The alpha grinned.

“And maybe you don’t think you were a good role model then, but by now you have learned to control yourself. So that still might help,” Castiel added quietly.

After that little talk, the atmosphere in the car became a lot more relaxed. Dean did not seem as nervous anymore and in turn, Castiel felt less antsy.

 

>><< 

 

The town in which Jody lived wasn’t comparable with a big city like Sanddorn. Lakewood looked like something out of a children’s book: Little shops, small colourful houses and one could easily imagine that everyone knew everyone. Those places always seemed idyllic – but Castiel himself had grown up in a small town and he found the big city a lot more agreeable. Then again, it was always easier for omegas in major cities, since there were more jobs for them and the citizens tended to be more progressive – at least that was the stereotype. Maybe he had just grown up in the wrong small town.

Jody lived in one of those many small colourful houses. She opened the door before Dean had even stopped the car. The two men left their luggage in the trunk since Jody had offered they should stay in her cabin overnight. To give them some privacy – the day would be long enough, as she had ominously announced.

Jody greeted both men heartily, like she hadn’t just seen them mere hours ago, and when they all stepped into the living room, Castiel could see the two girls siting on the couch – each on one end, as far away from each other as possible. Even without the scent, it wasn’t difficult to figure out which one was Claire. The blond girl looked like she would attack any second – whom, Castiel didn’t know, but neither did Claire, he supposed. The omega involuntarily stepped back and stumbled right into his alpha’s chest.

There was a strained pause for a moment. Then Dean gave an awkward wave with his hand and said: “Hey girls, you’ve grown up.”

Alex just rolled her eyes while Claire let out an irritated growl. Castiel even felt some sympathy – those young women were definitely too old to play the _you’ve-grown-up_ -card. And Dean had been here just a couple of weeks ago.

Jody tried to distract with: “Alex, Claire, I want to introduce you to Castiel, Dean’s mate.”

The girls did not lose one bit of the annoyed expressions on their faces and Alex even manifested her disinterest by popping her gum. Maybe they were not as mature as Castiel had assumed.

“Hello,” Castiel almost whispered and then he made the same awkward wave with his hand as Dean just had, frowning at himself.

Jody looked at the girls and cleared her throat pointedly. This spurred Alex to mumble “Hey” to either Cas or Dean – it wasn’t that clear since she didn’t look at anyone in particular.

After another strained moment, Dean said without preamble: “So, Jody said things have been a bit stressful here.”

In the blink of an eye, Claire had stood and prowled towards them.

“Have no idea what you mean. Things are just peachy.” The young woman came to halt a little too close to Dean and she swayed a bit. Her early rut probably urging her to challenge the other alpha in her house, but she hadn’t done anything yet.

Dean only raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “How about we take a little walk and talk?”

“Sure. Let’s talk. You want to talk about claiming an omega?” She gave Castiel a once-over that was definitely a bit too lecherous for him to feel comfortable with. Dean put a hand between Castiel’s shoulder blades, telling him wordlessly he was safe. Claire smirked at the omega – in a predatory way only alphas could. “Was it good?”

“Ok, that’s enough.” For the first time, Castiel heard Dean’s alpha clearly slip into his mate’s voice and it seemed to work. Claire looked taken aback and before she could respond, Dean had grabbed her arm and basically hauled her through the door.

“We’ll be back for dinner!”

 

>><< 

 

After the front door slammed shut with a loud noise, Alex _excused_ herself to her room. That left Jody and Castiel to try to take the next step in the art of conversation (the one that comes after superficial small talk). It was a bit difficult – seemingly mundane questions like how Castiel and Dean met or how long they had been dating always resulted in Castiel blushing and stuttering out incoherent answers.

When Jody finally understood how this claiming took place, she was thrown into a fit of laughter and nearly fell off the couch. It took a few minutes for her to calm down.

“Oh, this is a classic Winchester move. Good for Dean, though. I mean, how else would he have ever mated?”

Castiel frowned, not sure what that comment meant.

“If he had time to think about it, he would just find numerous excuses why this was not a good idea, or why you would be better off without him or how he might not live up to your expectations. Things like that.” Jody shrugged.

Castiel’s frown only deepened, not sure what Jody was talking about. The beta looked at him intently.

“Don’t let yourself be fooled by this whole… alpha posture. Dean Winchester is convinced he is responsible for everyone and everything. But of course, sometimes things happen that he could not have possibly prevented – and that just plays into his whole truckload of self-doubt.” She leaned forwards and looked at Castiel like she was about to tell him a big secret. “Alphas are not devoid of insecurities – they just like to pretend they are.”

Castiel was strangely jealous that this woman obviously knew a side in his alpha that he himself had not yet noticed – but he didn’t want to seem nosy, so he tried to steer the conversation away from his embarrassing claiming story and asked the beta about the girls.

After nearly three hours, Castiel was convinced that this woman did not have enough opportunities to talk about the difficulties of raising two teenage girls on your own. Regardless of how much you might love someone – sometimes, you simply need to let off steam.

It was late afternoon – Dean had not yet returned with Claire and Castiel tried not to be alarmed – when Jody excused herself to the kitchen to get dinner ready. She declined Castiel’s offer to help and suggested he should pick a magazine or book and sit on the balcony, while she would prepare their meal.

Castiel did pick up a book – in the living room laid a sci/fi-witchhunter-adventure-novel he had read countless times. When he stepped out on the upstairs balcony, though, he found Alex sitting in a chair, reading as well.

“Would it be all right, if I join you?” Castiel asked in a polite tone.

He was convinced that Alex would take this as her cue to leave, but she simply nodded. When Castiel sat down, she looked at the cover of his book with an expression he couldn’t read.

“I’m sorry, is this yours? Jody said I could borrow it until dinner. It is one of my favourites. I have read it probably 20 times by now. Comfort books, I call them – they make me feel at home whenever I return to them.”

At his words, Alex graced him with an honest smile. “Yeah, I know what you mean.” She held her own book out and Castiel could see how wrinkled it was. He huffed out a laugh.

Alex raised an eyebrow and asked in a playfully conspiratorial tone: “So, what is it you are hiding from?”

“Well… I unexpectedly visited some complete strangers and the atmosphere in the house is _chilling_. Now I am wondering if everyone will survive dinner.” Castiel answered with an open smile. “You?”

“Same thing, probably – just that for me, they are not strangers. Although, the alpha is the only problem, to be honest.”

“You know, I grew up with three older alpha brothers.”

“Three? Like one-two-three?” There was true panic in her voice. Castiel only nodded. “And are they all still alive or have you strangled them in their sleep?”

“They are alive, but that’s all I can say. I don’t talk to them anymore, haven’t seen them in a decade.”

Alex frowned and Castiel hoped it might be at the prospect of not seeing her sister in such a long time. Yes, there had been tension in the room when Castiel had arrived – tension, that could easily be cut with a knife – but there was not the same animosity that had always reeked in his family’s home. Still, Alex raised her chin defiantly.

“I can totally understand that, if your brothers are anything like Claire. She is so annoying all the time. And bossy. And now she thinks she is better than me.”

“Whereas you, I am sure, have always been supportive while your sister went through the confusing changes presenting usually entails.”

Alex laughed without humour. “Sure. I was beginning to think she would not present at all. I mean, I have been a beta for years now… I might have told her as much. Repeatedly. I even teased her at times that she would probably turn out to be an omeg...”

Alex’ eyes widened in shock, evidently appalled of her own words.

“Castiel, I am so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” She looked horrified and laid a hand on Castiel’s arm, trying to reach out.

“It’s okay. I have heard worse, believe me,” The omega answered in a reserved tone.

“Doesn’t make it any better.”

Castiel didn’t argue with that. He cleared his throat and tried to concentrate on the problem at hand again. “So – Claire, what does she do that annoys you so much?”

Alex groaned. “Ugh, where do I start? She is strutting up and down the house – including my room! – and marks it all up with her scent. She stays away overnight and when she returns she smells of… you know. Stinking up the whole place. And she picks a fight over everything! She actually threatened my boyfriend – _former_ boyfriend, I should say. She practically strangled him in front of the whole school and told him she would kill him if he hurt a hair on me. That was so embarrassing – and of course he broke up with me. Did your brothers ever do something like that to you?”

“No. My brothers would have killed me if they ever saw me with anyone that way.”

Alex laughed, but one look at Castiel told her he wasn’t joking. “Your brothers sound like dicks.”

“You know what? They _are_ dicks.” There was a smile ghosting around Castiel’s lips that erupted into a full grin. He had never dared to talk about his brothers that way – not even with a decade and hundreds of miles between them. It felt oddly liberating.

“But your sister doesn’t sound like one. I will not deny that she will probably get on your nerves for years to come, but she is having a hard time as well. Presenting is not easy, you know that much, and I imagine ruts are a lot more complicated. Besides, from what I’ve heard, you both share a somewhat troubled past and you obviously have been able to pull yourselves together so far. So maybe, you should just try to help each other out, like you have before.”

Alex looked so pensive that Castiel assumed this might be a good moment to leave her alone, have her gnawing on her thoughts for a bit longer. So, he excused himself, claiming he wanted to help Jody in the kitchen after all.

At the door, he turned around again.

“And, you know, I also believe that you deserve a boyfriend who will not be scared away by your sister. At least not that easily.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, some of you would have liked to see Dean in rut (me too!), but unfortunately, in this verse, he is simply too old. Ruts are more like an alpha-puberty-thing that makes them even more annoying. ;-)


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter FOURTEEN

 

Dean and Claire returned right before Jody had dinner ready. The two alphas had been out for over six hours and they both looked exhausted, having stains and a few scratches all over them – no blood though, as far as Castiel could see. They both reeked of sweat and excitement, but otherwise they seemed surprisingly balanced. As soon as he had stepped into the living room, Dean stalked towards Castiel and kissed him fiercely. Claire on the other hand was instantly on her way to the bathroom, yelling through the house that she needed to take a quick shower before dinner. Dean had grabbed a change of clothes from the car and occupied the guest bathroom to freshen up as well. Castiel was grateful for that – his body had a somewhat embarrassing reaction to his mate’s intensified scent. The smirk on Dean’s face told him that he had not been very good at hiding it.

When Claire finally joined the rest of them in the dining room, she seemed a lot more relaxed than before. She even apologized to Castiel for being so abrasive when they met – in fact, that was the very first thing she said when she sat down at the table. Then she surprised Alex just as much as Castiel before by asking her whether she had finished her book like she wanted to. The beta, in turn, gave a civil answer.

And that was how dinner started. Everyone was painfully polite to each other and they avoided topics that might result in arguments. After some time – both Dean and Claire had had their third refills as Alex and Castiel could only stare in disbelief – the nervousness in the room decreased and the girls and Dean even engaged in some friendly teasing.

Until the conversation got a bit strained again.

“So, Dean, how is Lisa? Is she still happy with her new job at the retirement home?” Alex suddenly asked with a curious expression on her face.

 For a moment, you could have heard a needle drop.

Both Jody and Claire stared at Alex with wide eyes while Dean picked an invisible fluffball off his sleeve.

“Good. She is good… and yeah, she still likes her job,” the alpha mumbled.

After that, the conversation faltered for a moment, though Castiel did not really understand why. He could make some assumptions, though. But he was not confident enough to ask about this Lisa when it was obvious that everyone was uncomfortable with the subject.

“So… Castiel, are you pregnant?” It was Alex (again) who asked the question and drowned the whole table in silence (again) – apart from Claire. Claire shot one glance at Dean and snickered.

“Ah… no, I am not.” Castiel answered, eyes focused on his plate.

“Oh. I just thought… since you two got mated pretty sudden. I thought maybe you are with child.”

By now, Castiel was 100 percent sure he was not pregnant – or rather, Dean was. According to his clever book, the alpha should smell a pregnancy on his mate within days after a heat. And Dean had not picked up on anything like that so far. Castiel would be eternally grateful that at least birth control had not failed during his last heat.

Alex suddenly noticed that everyone – apart from Claire – was very busy staring at their meals. “I didn’t mean to… I am sorry. It was just a question,” she muttered and it was obvious she had not deliberately tried to embarrass anyone. She had probably just wanted to deviate their attention from her previous inept question. With another one.

Alex found support from an unexpectant place when Claire chirped in: “And it is a justifiable question. I asked Dean that the moment he dragged me out the house. I never knew a grown alpha could blush so hard.”

“But it is not polite to ask such a thing, girls. I should think you are old enough to know that. This is personal. And people might easily feel uncomfortable with those kind of questions,” Jody scolded them under her breath, like a stage whisper that everyone could hear anyway.

Claire smirked at her sister. “And you know, you don’t want to make Castiel uncomfortable with Dean around. In this early mating-state, he might just be unbalanced enough to rip your throat out.”

“Yeah, we all know he can go a bit overboard. Just look at what happened to Ruby.” As ominous as that sounded, Alex just grinned at Claire. “Not that I blame him. And we have all been taught about over-protective alphas in school.”

Suddenly a sheepish look glinted in Claire’s eyes and the alpha cleared her throat. “You know… Henry was a dick.”

“What?”

“Your boyfriend, Henry – he was a dick.” Claire fidgeted her fingers around a glass. “I saw him flirting with someone else and I just… snapped.”

Alex only blinked at her for a moment. Claire glanced at Dean who made a gesture that probably meant _go on_.

“I know I should have handled this differently. But I just lost control for a moment. And I did not think about my actions. I am sorry for that.”

“Flirted with… whom?”

“The janitor’s son. They met sometimes in the basement, from what I heard.”

Alex looked hurt, but Castiel imagined it was more her pride than her heart that had been wounded.

“Well, you should have told me, instead of humiliating me in front of the whole school.” Alex’ tone was a lot gentler than her words would imply.

“Like I said, I’m sorry.” When she realised Alex wasn’t that mad at her, she added wickedly: “The next time you have an asshole for a boyfriend, I will tell you _before_ I beat him up.”

Instantly, Alex held out her hand: “Deal.”

 

>><< 

 

After they were all finished, Claire and Alex wordlessly cleared away the table together and Jody walked Dean and Castiel to the door, an incredulous look plastered to her face.

“How did you do that?” She asked Dean with wide eyes.

“I gave her the fight she wanted.” He shrugged and Jody looked more than a little bit shocked. “Hey, no bones were broken. We also took a long run and I had her chop some wood. Turns out, this is surprisingly effective. After that, we also might have talked a bit.”

Jody hugged him quickly. “Thank you so much for coming by.”

“Don’t thank me yet. This is far from over. She needs a lot of exercise. Have her join some martial arts team. Get a fireplace and let her take care of the firewood. And I will try to come by more often.”

Jody turned towards Castiel and pulled him into another tight embrace.

“Thank you as well, Castiel. I don’t know what you told Alex, but thank you. And for listening to my grouching,” she added with a soft smile.

 

>><< 

 

Dean drove them to a small cabin in the woods nearby. It belonged to Jody and they had agreed that the couple would spend the night there – as well as the next day until they had to return to the city. Jody had provided them with enough food for breakfast as well as leftovers for a quick lunch. Having seen Claire and Dean eat, Castiel could hardly believe there was anything left – but Jody was probably used to ridiculously big alpha portions.

Now, that they were in the privacy of a car, Castiel finally dared to ask the question that had been nagging at him the whole night.

“Who is Lisa?”

Dean just ducked his head as he had during dinner and opened his mouth twice without saying anything before he finally answered.

“Lisa… she is a friend. A good friend. To all of us.” Dean mumbled and Castel just raised an eyebrow. From the reaction of both Jody and the alpha at the dinner table – as well as Dean’s stuttering right now – Castiel was getting a fairly good idea on what kind of _friend_ this Lisa was. Or _used_ to be. He hoped.

“And she is an ex of yours?”

Dean took a deep breath. “Yeah, you could say that… I mean, yes, she is.” He glanced at Castiel and laid a hand on his knee. “But that was a long time ago. Years, really.”

“But you are still friends?” Castiel tried to figure out how he felt about that.

“Yes. Look… Lisa, she is an omega and she has never been mated – and she has a son.” Castiel felt a cold stone in his stomach at the thought. “We already had had a little fling ages ago, when we were both still in school. And then we met again a couple of years ago – when she had a four-year-old and no mate. And we started dating.

“But after about 10 months we realised it wouldn’t work out. But we still like each other, and then there is Ben. I was starting to think him as my own – and I couldn’t just leave him behind. So… we are still friends. They even come by at Thursday-dinners sometimes.”

Now, that was a lot of information for a 15-minute drive. Castiel tried to stay objective. He knew Dean was not exactly a virgin when they met and from an outside point of view, he actually thought it was nice to stay friends with someone you were in a relationship with. Being frustrated or angry at Dean for it would only be petty. And Castiel didn’t like to think of himself as petty.

Dean rubbed a hand over Castiel’s thigh. “I would have told you about her. In fact, I want you to meet her soon. Her and Ben. She was very strict that I had to tell you about her when I talked to her on the phone.”

“You already told her about me?”

“Well, yeah. I told a lot of people about you.”

Castiel answered with silence. He felt a little bit childish, but he would have liked to hear about this woman – an _omega_ at that – before. And he didn’t like that _she_ influenced _his mate_ to talk about her. At the same time, he knew this kind of thinking was just stupid. If anything, he should be angry at Dean for not telling him and not at this stranger for advising him to do so.

“Look, Cas, Lisa is really just a good friend. And her and Ben are both important to me. I didn’t know how to tell you about them since this seems to be a delicate topic. But I assure you that this thing between us is well in the past. Let’s meet together and then we will go from there. Okay?”

Castiel only nodded. He couldn’t help but feel jealous – and he wasn’t exactly looking forward to meeting this omega. At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her:  Being an omega with a child and no mate must be harsh.

The rest of the drive was spent in silence. As soon as the couple arrived at the cabin, they stored the food away and then the alpha embraced the omega tightly, breathing in his scent.

“I am sorry we did not get the day to ourselves as we had planned. You must be exhausted after that last week and probably want nothing more than pull a sheet over your head and play dead to the world.”

Castiel smiled. Yes, the last week had been stressful, but at the same time, it might have very well been the best week of his life. And for the moment, he wanted to bask in that feeling – and not think about any omegas from Dean’s past.

“I don’t mind. I had a great day.” Dean raised an incredulous eyebrow. “I’m serious. I like Jody, and the girls. And if us coming here, helped them in any way – that’s even better.”

“But are you still up for coming to work with me on Monday? I should definitely run by for an hour, but if you would rather take a break from meeting all those new people, I can understand.”

“No, it’s okay.” Actually, Castiel was very nervous to visit Dean’s office, but he didn’t need to tell his alpha about that. Wouldn’t help anyone. “Meg said, the faster the better. So, let’s get this behind us.”

They went straight upstairs and a few minutes later, they both lied in bed, stripped down to their underwear, Dean spooning behind Castiel. Both men were far too tired for anything else.

“Thank you.” Dean whispered.

“For what?”

“For encouraging me to talk to Claire. I think you might have been right and it helps to just have someone who understands.”

Castiel snuggled further into Dean and fell asleep with a pleased smile on his lips.

 

>><< 

 

A loud moan woke Castiel. It took him a few disorientated moments to realise that it had been himself who had made the noise. Caused by his alpha, lying between his thighs, lips and tongue working on his erect cock. All right, maybe it was not only the moan that had woken him.

Castiel was still hazy from sleep – in addition to his arousal – when Dean played a finger into his hole, and without hesitating sought out his sweet spot. It didn’t take long until Castiel came with a hoarse cry and he felt so drowsy afterwards that he feared for a moment, he would just fall asleep again. He tried to hold on to his manners, tough, and made an effort to finally wake up completely.

When he opened his eyes again, his mate was grinning down at him.

“Morning, gorgeous.” Dean pecked him on the lips and by now Castiel had given up on protesting against this form of greeting before he had the opportunity to brush his teeth. He was a bit envious however, that Dean always made it to the bathroom before he could even wake up. Thinking of it, he had never seen the alpha sleep.

“I already made coffee. Take your time in the bathroom and I will have everything else ready when you come down.”

Castiel was torn between bliss about this honestly magnificent start of the day and guilt – since he felt like he never did anything for the alpha in return.

“Why are you doing this?” Castiel was surprised to hear the words coming out of his own mouth. Yes, he had wondered about this, a lot, but he had never intended to ask.

“Doing what?”

“ _This_.” Castiel repeated and made an all-embracing gesture with his hand like it would make anything clear. Judging by the look Dean gave him – it didn’t. “Making breakfast. Waking me like that. Buying a ridiculously expensive bed.”

Dean looked adorably confused for a second. “I thought this was obvious. I am courting you.”

“Courting me?” Castiel could not help the giggle that escaped his lips – if it was provoked by the phrase or the statement itself, he didn’t know. “I might not have much experience in that area, but I am pretty sure that even _if_ an alpha feels the need to _court_ someone – it usually happens _before_ the claiming.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t get a chance then, did I? But now, my alpha urges me to try and prove to you that I am fully capable to provide for you and protect you and…” He leaned back down and sucked gently at Castiel’s neck, making the omega shiver. “… I have just vividly demonstrated that I am more than able to make you feel really, _really_ good.” Dean looked Castiel directly in the eyes with an overly smug look on his perfect face.

Since objecting would be useless, Castiel just replied: “Cocky alpha.”

“All part of my charm, baby.”

After another quick kiss, Dean finally hopped off the bed, but he was stopped again.

“So, does this mean I will have to make my own breakfast in the future?” Castiel asked with an exaggerated grumpy frown on his face.

Dean seemed to brood over this for a moment. Then, with a smirk: “I can promise you, there will always be coffee and a bowl of Chocolate Charms.”

He closed the door to the sound of happy giggles.

 

>><< 

 

After breakfast, the couple strode through the woods. The weather was good and Castiel enjoyed seeing the sun glinting through the fresh spring-green leaves. He had always enjoyed hiking or even only little walks – and he was pleasantly surprised that Dean obviously was not averse to the idea of _strolling around aimlessly_ – as Gabriel had always called it.

They were on their way back to the cabin when Castiel tripped over a root and Dean’s arms were around him before he could land on the ground. The omega’s breath hitched and his heartbeat sped up at the sudden closeness of his alpha as well as the jolt of the almost-fall. Castiel felt a little smug at the realisation that if his heart raced – his alpha’s did just as much. He looked up at Dean and they shared a little moment when their gazes just locked and both seemed to be lost in each other’s eyes.

Without thinking, Castiel stood on his toes and kissed his mate. After short hesitation, he let his tongue wander through Dean’s lips. He moaned into the alpha’s mouth and deepened the kiss further. Castiel’s hands interlaced in Dean’s short hair and he pulled the alpha down, seeking full body contact. Castiel didn’t know how long he spent like this, tasting Dean, hands roaming over the alpha’s back and shoulders – he seemed to be withdrawn in his own out-of-this-world time-zone. Never before had the omega initiated such intimate contact and Dean seemed more than happy to comply and just follow his lead. But as much as Castiel enjoyed his own boldness, he would very much like for Dean to react in kind. He nipped at Dean’s bottom lip, deliberately trying to get a rise out of the alpha, but Dean still had his arms around the omega’s waist loosely.

Until Castiel remembered something Dean had said yesterday. Something that had sounded more exciting to Castiel than he would have imagined. Something he wanted to try.

He bared his neck seductively and rubbed his crotch against Dean so that the alpha could feel his interest – if the growing scent of his slick was not indication enough. Castiel wanted Dean to be 100 percent sure about what he was doing.

With one last kiss, Castiel summoned all is strength and pushed Dean back. The alpha stumbled a few steps backwards, more surprised than anything else. But Castiel did not wait around to observe his mate’s reaction further. He turned around quickly and ran towards the house as fast as he could.

Dean did not seem to follow him right away. Castiel was not sure whether the alpha was still confused about what had just happened or if he deliberately tried to give Castiel a head-start to make the chase more interesting. Castiel had to admit it would be a bit disappointing if he got caught within three steps. Also, he had not exactly thought this through, but he would rather make it to the cabin and not land on the rough, cold forest ground.

When he was just in line of the Impala, he could hear Dean chasing after him, gaining on the omega with every step. He had no idea, what strange omega instinct was responsible for this, but Castiel was extremely aroused; his current state reminded him of his heats in a way. He wanted to show the alpha how fast he was, that he could hold his own – at the same time, he knew his attempt to outrun the alpha would be futile, since he would get caught eventually. And that thought just sent another ecstatic shiver through his body.

Just as Castiel was mere feet away from the garage door, he could feel Dean directly behind him. He turned about in a swift, surprising move and made his way to the front door instead, having the alpha almost smash against the garage. At the low snarl behind him, Castiel let out a satisfied laugh as well as a gush of slick.

Castiel had finally reached the cabin. He pushed the door open and was inside in an instant; and without hesitating, he slammed the door shut behind him. He could hear Dean growl outside, irritated at the slowdown. When the door flew open again with a loud crack, Castiel was already running for the stairs. But before he had even reached the first step, he felt strong arms around him, dragging him down to the floor. Castiel instantly went pliant under the alpha and bared his neck again. Overwhelmed by the excitement of being caught by his mate.

He turned his head and one look at Dean had even more slick run out of his hole. Castiel had never seen his mate so much in the hands of his inner alpha. He could even see a glint of gold in his eyes, but he was not scared by it – because it was still Dean. And Dean would not hurt him. But as the alpha tugged at Castiel’s clothes, he was definitely rougher than he had been these last couple of days. And Castiel loved it. Loved that Dean let go again and acted on his instincts.

Castiel’s pants were off in a heartbeat and he was turned around by strong hands. The omega reacted instantly and scrambled up to his hands and knees, feeling Dean’s fingers already inside of him before he was in position. Not even the adrenaline of a good chase let Dean forget to prepare his mate. As an omega, Castiel should be able to take a knot without any preparation – as long as he was slick enough – but Dean had yet never tried to do so. Castiel assumed that the alpha was partly anxious to not hurt the omega, and partly seemed to simply enjoy seeing his fingers sink into the other man’s body.

Usually, Dean was quite talkative during this stage of sex – whether with soft expressions of affection and praise or filthy compliments that made Castiel blush just thinking about them. But this time, while Dean was draped over his lover, holding him down and quickly preparing him for his knot, he seemed unable to make any sounds but low growls and occasional grunts.

The only word Castiel could make out was _mine_ – at the same time as Dean shoved his cock into the omega. And Castiel who had never been particularly fond of possessive behaviour just melted a bit more. Dean’s movements were sharp and fast – and Castiel answered in kind, meeting each of Dean’s thrusts eagerly. Neither man had the patience to drag this out any longer than necessary – and Castiel could feel the beginning of his release after only a couple of strokes. 

Just as Dean’s knot was about to catch, the alpha pulled out, turned the omega harshly around and pushed in again, binding them together in an instant, face to face. Castiel bared his neck and Dean accepted the invitation and marked the omega with his teeth, both men moaning out their release at the same time.

Dean’s knot had not come down when the alpha picked up his mate and carried him to the sofa. Castiel was grateful that Dean had switched positions before they were bound together, because this way the alpha could move them around with surprising ease. Castiel would not have liked to spend the next 40 minutes on the hard floor. His elbows and knees were a bit sore already. Not that he was complaining – but he definitely preferred to come down from his high on some soft cushions; being draped over his mate was just a bonus. 

“Next time, give a guy a warning before you start something like that,” were the first words the alpha managed to say since Castiel had kissed him in the forest.

“Oh, so you didn’t like it?” Castiel asked with fake innocence. He might not be the most experienced omega, but he had no doubt that Dean had enjoyed their little chase just as much as he had.

Dean just huffed. “Didn’t know you were this kinky, is all.”

Castiel turned his head and pulled himself up a little so he could kiss Dean on the lips. “Neither did I.”

Both men lay in silence for almost half an hour, stroking and scenting each other.

“I would like to meet Lisa.” Castiel said abruptly and Dean twitched.

“I mean, if she is a part of your life, I should get to know her. And Ben.”

It was probably an odd time to bring up your mate’s ex – Dean’s knot was still releasing come into Castiel – but the omega felt strangely secure in their bond at this moment.

“All right. I’ll make us a date.”

“So… this is the one other omega you spent heats with in the last decade?”

“What?”

“Sam. He said… he said something about you. That you don’t normally spend heats with an omega. And Ellen and Bobby both hinted at the same thing.”

“Well, I didn’t know, this was such an interesting topic,” Dean grouched out. But Castiel was not deflated so easily.

“Why is that? Most alphas basically hunt down omegas in heat. Why don’t you?”

Dean sighed. “I don’t know. I liked it well enough when I was younger, but… it just seems very _intimate_. You know, with the omega being so --- vulnerable. It just felt to me that this is something you should share with someone who means something to you. Someone you trust. It’s also a lot of responsibility for a simple hook-up.” Castiel raised an eyebrow. “Like I said, the omega is in a very assailable position and you have to take care of them. Make sure they eat and sleep. And to not accidentally do anything they wouldn’t want you to do out of heat.”

Castiel cuddled even further into Dean. “You know, that most alphas wouldn’t waste much thought on the omega’s needs.”

“Well, I guess I am special that way.” Dean smirked, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Castiel thought the alpha almost seemed embarrassed but he couldn’t fathom why.   

“Yes. You are.” Castiel looked his mate in the eye and tried to deliver as much emotion as possible with these short words. When the alpha seemed to be too stunned to answer, and even more embarrassed than before, Castiel wriggled his hips a bit, causing the alpha to moan lowly. “I just hope, I won’t have to take care of _this_ myself; after you are done with your _courtship_ , I mean.”

Before Castiel knew what happened, he had been flipped over, an intense looking alpha on top of him. The satisfied grin was wiped off his face when Dean started to lick at the fresh mark on the omega’s neck.

“I can assure you, I will always take this particular responsibility very seriously.” When Dean pulled back again, his gaze was fixed on something behind Castiel and he let out a groan.

“I really need to set the door before we leave. Or Jody will kill me.”

Castiel turned his head and his eyes locked on the unhinged door.

A smug smile played on his lips.

 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter FIFTEEN

 

As soon as Castiel remembered what they were going to do today, his heart started to beat faster. He was still lying in bed, and – naturally – Dean was already pottering about downstairs. He wondered if this line of new people to meet would ever stop. But after today, according to Dean, he would have everyone through. Visiting his alpha’s workplace was different from meeting family, however. Oddly enough, it seemed both more and less terrifying at the same time. It helped though, that he had already met Kevin and Charlie. And Benny. Then of course, there was that date with Lisa they had planned for the afternoon.

Castiel took a deep breath and remembered that just a week ago, he had woken up as a mated omega. Back then, he had been afraid that Dean might have the omega accompany him to his office on a daily basis. Or that Castiel would be expected to act submissive and obedient all the time. After spending the last week with Dean and his pack, those initial fears felt like an eternity away.

As soon as Castiel came downstairs and was kissed by his mate, his nerves calmed down noticeably. He knew that Dean just wanted to show him around his place and have him meet only a handful of people. But he couldn’t get completely over the fact that a lot of staff members would _see_ him and probably gossip about him afterwards. He could even understand that. The boss’ new mate – if that wasn’t an interesting topic for the staff canteen.

When they sat in Dean’s car, Castiel was a bit preoccupied – arguing with his nerves and all that. He didn’t pay attention to his surroundings, so he was surprised when he noticed Dean had stopped the car in front of the municipality. He looked questioningly at the alpha.

“It’s Monday. Don’t you remember? They should have your new papers ready by now.”

Castiel felt a bit embarrassed since Dean was right – he _had_ forgotten about it. When they stepped inside, he was relieved to learn that this time, they didn’t even need to go to any of the small offices; their documents could be picked up at the reception.

Castiel looked at his new papers, and he was suddenly overwhelmed with emotions. For one, he was blessed with owning a green card – and with that, he had more rights as a mated omega than an unmated one (when typically, this worked the other way around). And then there was the new name: Castiel Winchester.

In that moment, Castiel made a promise to himself to leave his past completely behind him and concentrate on his future. With Dean. As a Winchester.

Dean had been waiting a few steps away, deliberately letting Castiel handle everything on his own; but when he could see the tears in his mate’s eyes, he approached. Grinning through his tears, Castiel held out his new ID to Dean, one finger below his new name to emphasise what had him so emotional.

The rumble coming off Dean’s chest indicated that the alpha was just as pleased about Castiel’s new surname.

“So, what do you say, Mr Winchester? Ready to accompany me to work?”

Castiel nodded, teary smile still plastered on his face.

 

>><< 

 

Castiel soon distinguished two groups working at WinSec. Those to which Dean Winchester was _the boss_ ; some kind of legend they had the greatest respect for. And the other group seemed more like family members who showed no signs of trepidation around him.

When the couple made their way through the entrance hall, the elevator and some corridors to Dean’s office, both men were greeted and congratulated multiple times. And Dean seemed joyful to show off his new mate to everyone. The obvious pride Dean showed every time he introduced Castiel to anyone, made the omega feel giddy despite the stressful situation of being surrounded by strangers.

Dean’s office was surprisingly small and badly lit. Not exactly the kind of place you would expect from the owner of a successful company. The alpha proclaimed he didn’t mind since he was in the conference room or out meeting clients most of the time anyways.

There, in Dean’s cramped office, Castiel was introduced to various people throughout the morning. And even though Castiel had already seen Dean interact with Kevin, Benny and Charlie, he was still surprised by the familiarity and the casual conversations that seemed to be commonplace at WinSec.

At first, Castiel met Kevin again, for he and a nice elderly lady shared the (larger) office right next to Dean’s. They both came by to say hello before Castiel had even had the chance to sit down. The woman introduced herself as Mildred and explained that she only came in a couple of hours per day and mostly answered the phone or coordinated appointments.

“But, you know, the true reason I work here is so I can stare at this gorgeous alpha of yours. So, I mostly try to _look_ busy to justify my position within the company.” She winked at Castiel and the omega couldn’t help but laugh.

Soon, Charlie stormed into the crowded office (more than three people were just too many) and hugged Castiel excitedly. After a few minutes of mindless chatter, Dean shoed them all out and showed Castiel around a bit.

The office across from Dean’s was halfway open and the alpha just mumbled: “This is Crowley’s office. But of course, he hardly ever comes in before noon. Needs his beauty sleep or God knows what. He’s more of a night owl.”

Castiel peeked in through the open door and was overwhelmed with the sheer size of the room. The furniture and the carpet were obviously expensive and held in dark colours, generating a noble flair. Castiel wondered how the COO had an office at least three times the size of the CEO’s.

The room next to Dean’s was closed and Castiel read _Frank Deveraux, CFO_ on the sign. He jerked back when he suddenly heard a loud yell through the door.

Dean didn’t even blink: “This is Frank’s. Better not go in. It is not advisable to ever visit Frank unannounced; don’t even knock without getting a written permission first. He is a genius, but also, you know--- batshit crazy. Thinks everyone might be spying on us.”

Castiel looked at Dean with wide eyes: “Even you?”

“Oh, he makes no distinctions when it comes to his paranoia.” Dean chuckled. “It’s hilarious whenever he is supposed to join a board meeting. Changes the time and place every five minutes. And sometimes, I receive encrypted emails I have no idea how to read.”

After they had moved around and Castiel got an impression of the place – he especially liked the light meeting rooms as well as the recreation area –, the couple went back to Dean’s office.

During the following few hours, the omega got fairly convinced that half of the people working at WinSec had a personal history with Dean. Obviously, the alpha didn’t do job interviews – he just hired people he knew and trusted. It was something he had said before, when Castiel had hesitantly asked him about his time with the military – the most important thing is to work with a team you can trust. Otherwise, Dean had been very reluctant to talk about his missions and Castiel hadn’t wanted to push.

The omega tensed for a second, when two alphas and a beta knocked on the open door – if the room had seemed crowded before, the three alphas alone had it nearly bursting. One of them was Benny who greeted Castiel with a warm handshake. The other alpha introduced himself as Victor Henriksen and he only nodded politely. As did Cole Trent, the beta. Dean explained that those three men operated the teams which handled the most dangerous or tricky cases.

Benny, as Castiel had already known, was one of the first employees of WinSec. He and Dean had served in the military together and left roughly at the same time. And as much as Castiel had always been intimidated by alphas, he didn’t mind Benny; if only because he knew how much Dean trusted him. Castiel imagined the two men had been through some form of hell together, which had resulted in their close friendship, a rare thing among alphas.

Henriksen was a former FBI-agent. Apparently, he had met Dean on a case and initially confused him for the bad guy. Which had resulted in some kind of tough-guy-competition between the alphas. In the end, Henriksen switched jobs, to everyone’s surprise. He proclaimed that at WinSec, it was _less paperwork, more action_. Castiel was not sure what to make of that comment. It sounded very much like a _shoot first, ask questions later_ alpha-attitude. But at the same time, Henriksen seemed surprisingly laid-back.

The story of how Cole joined Dean’s company was even more unusual and the two men seemed to have a little bit too much fun telling it: A couple of years ago, some betas had been harassed in a bar. Outside, a woman pointed in Dean’s direction (maybe indicating at someone behind him; obviously that mystery had never been solved) and Cole thought he was one of the culprits. So, the inebriated beta followed Dean and tried to beat him up.

“Which, obviously, was a very bad idea. I guess, I should be glad I am still alive. In the end, Dean offered me a job.”

Castiel blinked and turned to Dean.

“Well, he had a good technique and showed enthusiasm.” Dean shrugged and the other men laughed. Castiel only raised an eyebrow, not impressed with this testosterone-fueled kind of humour.

“So, is this how the application procedure works around here? Someone picks a fight with you and then you evaluate their abilities?” Castiel was surprised how easy it came to him to tease his alpha in front of his friends. If only a little.

“Sometimes it sure feels like that,” Henriksen coughed out, receiving a dark look from Dean.

Before the three men left, Cole turned around to Dean: “Are we still on with our meeting in…” He looked at his watch. “…about now. I also invited Cesar and Donna.”

Dean agreed and after the three men left, the alpha closed the door and embraced Castiel in his strong arms for a moment. “I need to discuss some things, first with Cole, then with Kevin. Will it be alright for you to stay here with Mildred? You two can gossip over a cup of coffee. I am sure she knows some embarrassing stories about me she is dying to share.”

After Castiel’s nod, Dean pecked him on the lips and turned around. Just as Castiel was watching Dean walk down the corridor from the doorframe, Mildred stepped next to the omega.

“You know, sometimes I really don’t know whether I like it more when he walks towards me and I can see that gorgeous face or when he leaves and … you know.”

Mildred was staring pointedly at Dean’s backside and Castiel’s glance followed.

Just before he was around the corner, Dean suddenly turned around and winked – obviously amused by having caught both Mildred and Castiel ogling him. The secretary let out a joyful laugh while Castiel tried to hide the blush on his face.

“You know, I am really glad he found you. That man deserves someone good in his life.” At those words, Castiel flushed to an even deeper shade, touched by the serious expression on the woman’s face. Then Mildred added wickedly: “Would be a waste, if he came home to an empty bed every night. At least _someone_ should benefit from that body.”

They chatted amiably for a while in Dean’s office – and yes, Mildred knew a few stories about Dean, even though most of them seemed to feature some physical aspect or another. Castiel suspected that the lady was not actually as superficial as it might have seemed – her tone was too warm whenever she talked about the alpha – but she simply enjoyed making the omega blush. And Castiel didn’t mind it too much since every blush was followed by an amused chuckle.

After nearly an hour, they were interrupted by a knock on the still open door.

“Hey ya, just wanted to say hello. And welcome the new family member, you know.”

If Castiel had thought Charlie was cheery, that was nothing compared to the bubble of excitement in front of him. The delighted looking woman was an omega, and behind her stood a more reluctant beta. Though, it wasn’t hard to seem reticent next to the widely smiling omega.

“You must be Castiel.” She sniffed overtly as if to say _It’s not hard to guess with that scent on you_. “Hi, I’m Donna.”  

The omega hugged Castiel quickly; the beta just held out a hand and introduced himself with a friendly smile as Cesar.

“Oh. So, you two just talked to Dean, right?”

“Yes, some stolen heirlooms. The tech team traced it down and now we go out and take it back!” Donna moved her fists around in the air, smiling widely – and all in all seemed a lot more enthusiastic than Castiel had ever imagined someone in this line of work to be. Cesar, on the other hand, looked a lot more like the part. Also…

“But you are an omega.” Castiel could have slapped himself. How often had anyone given him the but-you-are-an-omega-look since he started college? “I mean, not that you are not surely capable, but I just have never heard of an omega doing this kind of work. You know, as we are not allowed in the military or the police force…”

It was Cesar who answered – his tone gentle and insistent at the same time: “Never underestimate the power of surprise. It must be infuriating if no one ever seems to take you seriously, but you can always use that to your advantage. My mate, Jesse, is an omega as well – and I have seen a lot of people being taken off guard by his strength and willpower. And who would ever assume perky Donna Hanscum to be a threat?” He playfully shoved his shoulder against Donna’s, and the omega answered with a cheery laugh.

Castiel turned back to Donna: “I am sorry. I truly didn’t mean to imply you couldn’t do this. I am just surprised. In a very positive way.”

“Well, I always wanted to be a police officer. Turned out, the only thing an omega – unmated one at that! – is entrusted to do, is managing the phone. But here at WinSec, I can actually hunt down some bad guys.”

Donna smiled widely and held up her hand. Castiel looked at it in confusion – until Cesar finally indulged Donna with a high five. Even though he didn’t look half as excited as she did.

 

>><< 

 

When Dean was finally finished with his reviews, he came back to the office, Kevin in tow. Mildred excused herself and left the three men alone. Soon, they heard some commotion from across the hall.

“Now, why is that bloody contract not on my desk already?”

Castiel looked alarmed, but Kevin only rolled his eyes and Dean mouthed _Crowley_.

“His highness likes to make an entrance, usually yells around as soon as he arrives. Just ignore it. Everyone else does.”

They could hear an answering voice that was not loud enough to make out the words, but Castiel assumed the low rumble belonged to Benny.

Turned out he was right – two seconds later, a man was standing in the doorframe, Benny close behind. Castiel looked at Crowley, puzzled by two things: First, with the loud voice and the huge room he had expected someone--- taller. But secondly – even at this short distance – Castiel could have easily mistaken Crowley for an alpha. Even his scent was uncharacteristically strong, for a beta.

“So, I hear congratulations are in order.” Crowley held out his hand to Castiel, who hesitantly took it. He didn’t know why, but Castiel would have not been surprised if the other man was trying to poison him.  Dean probably could feel his reluctance as he stepped closer behind him, settling a large hand on the omega’s shoulder. Crowley raised an eyebrow at Dean, but focused back on Castiel. “You could have done so much better in the mate department. But…” He shrugged. “…I guess it is too late for that advice. So at least I can congratulate you on your contract for Crossroads. I used to work there once, you know. Basically ran the place, made them great – not to sound immodest. So: well played.”

“Huh?” Castiel was a bit embarrassed by his eloquent response, but no one seemed to notice when Dean just threw his hands up in the air. Castiel assumed he had stepped into an argument that was held before. Nonetheless, Crowley answered Castiel’s implied question.

“You managed to meet all of our requests, but still didn’t budge on any financial demands of your company. I have to acknowledge that. And I always admire if someone is not too vain to play dirty.”

The last comment was followed by an angry growl from Dean and the alpha stepped deliberately between Crowley and Castiel. The omega didn’t even get a chance to elaborate how he had nothing to do with the financial aspects of the contract.

“I don’t think we need to discuss this further. The contracts are signed,” grumbled Dean.

“Yeah, because _someone_ was not thinking with his upstairs head and made us a bad deal.” Crowley turned to Castiel, bowing oddly to the side since the omega was standing behind Dean. “Not that I blame you, of course. To be honest, I think this was a brilliant scheme.”

Castiel could only blink in confusion. Abruptly, Crowley sat down on the chair next to him and mumbled, more to himself than anyone else: “I wonder… when is the next time Kevin will be in heat… maybe I could bring him to that meeting with Dick Roman…Ow!”

Benny had sneaked up on Crowley and laid one hand on the crook of his neck. It could have looked casual, but Castiel was more reminded of a Vulcan nerve pinch he had just learned about on last night’s episode of Star Trek. Kevin, on the other hand, just rolled his eyes again. He was obviously not that impressed by Crowley’s words – or anything else about the man. It helped Castiel to not take his words too seriously.

“All I was saying is, our mighty alpha-in-charge could have made a better deal.”

“It was not my idea to go to Crossroads. That would have been _your_ job. But no, you suddenly had more important things to do. You told me to go. You said, you already checked the details and all I had to do was sign.”

Dean sounded strangely defensive and Castiel suddenly had to think about two kids, squabbling in a sandbox. The exasperated looks on Benny and Kevin just added to the picture.

“Yes! And I think I deserve a little bit of gratitude for it.” Dean stared at Crowley, both eyebrows raised at the sudden change of argument. “I basically introduced you to your mate. If not for me, you would have never met! I think I deserve a raise for that.”

“Every argument for a raise can be nullified by your sexist comments from about two seconds ago.” Benny was still towering above Crowley and Castiel was strangely impressed by the beta’s nonchalance.

“Those were not sexist! And I do not suggest that Kevin actually has to do anything. We just should use all the assets we have. And if you alphas are so easily played, it certainly isn’t my fault.”

After another attempt to at least get a new carpet for his office, Crowley left to _finally do something remotely useful_ – Dean’s words.

 Around noon, the newly mated couple ate lunch with Kevin, Charlie, Mildred and Benny in such a relaxed atmosphere that had Castiel wonder again, how easily all three subgenders interacted with each other in Dean’s world. Castiel even had to admit he felt a bit jealous of Kevin – not for the same reasons he had some days ago, but because the omega got to work with people who didn’t look down on him. But then again, Castiel would soon hand in his notice at Crossroads and then hopefully be in a better position at his brother’s place.

Just when everyone had started on the pie, Dean mentioned to the others that they would head out right after lunch. To meet Lisa. And just like that, Castiel had lost all his appetite for the sweet dessert.

 

>><< 

 

They had agreed to meet at a spring fair with different games and rides. Apparently, Lisa had suggested it – so they would have something to do or at least to watch. Castiel had to admit, it was a good idea. He would have felt awkward, sitting with his mate’s ex and almost-son at a small table in a restaurant or something like that.

They met in the parking lot and Castiel’s stomach instantly turned. The other omega was absolutely beautiful and that warm smile on her face only made it worse. Everyone greeted each other politely; Lisa and Dean looked a bit awkward in a mixture of a handshake and a hug. Castiel assumed, they would normally hug, but didn’t know what to do in the current surroundings. He was obviously not the only one who felt like walking on pieces of broken glass – careful with every step. The only person who didn’t seem to feel the awkwardness of the situation was Ben. The eight-year-old hugged Dean without second thoughts and immediately told the alpha of a band that just _rocked_.

The interaction between his mate and the boy made Castiel smile involuntarily. He was a bit surprised to see how easily Dean interacted with the child, hunkering down to bring himself to the same height, joking with an open grin.

Eventually, the four of them walked through the aisles of different booths, offering games or food and drinks. At one end, there was a huge climbing wall and Ben practically begged Dean to go with him. The alpha shot a look at Castiel, who nodded without hesitation. Before Dean could even finish the word _sure_ , Ben already had the equipment in hands, trying to hide his excitement under an artificial cool demeanour. Castiel thought it was silly whenever Dean did that, but with an eight-year-old, it was simply hilarious.

Over his amusement, Castiel nearly forgot that now, he had to wait on the side, alone with Lisa.

“You know, I want to thank you for meeting us.”

“Of course.” Castiel said, because honestly, he didn’t know what else to say. It was not Lisa’s fault, she had been nothing but nice so far – but Castiel simply did not know how to act right now.

“Not everyone would have done that and I am grateful for the chance to get to know you.” She took a deep breath and it occurred to Castiel that this must be as weird for her as it was for him. “I just want you to be assured that there is nothing going on between Dean and me. And I would have backed out completely if it wasn’t for Ben. You know, he looks up at Dean – and that is more than I could have ever wished for.”

“Why aren’t you together anymore?” Castiel’s eyes widened. He didn’t know what was going on with him. Before he met Dean, he never asked questions without thinking first. He coughed. “I mean, you seem to get along quite well.”

Lisa sighed. “It just didn’t really work out. I think, when we met again after all those years and I had already had Ben – Dean wanted to do the right thing and take the responsibility. Not that there was any reason for him to think that way. But knowing him, he probably felt like he needed to take care of a lone omega and a fatherless child. And I was just so happy to have someone who truly loved my boy and, you know, who would be a good role model for him. But there was always something… missing. Sometimes I believe, Dean was more drawn towards Ben than to me.” She held out her hands quickly. “Not in a creepy way! I just mean, Dean would make a really good dad. And I, on the other hand, might have appreciated him more for being a good father than a potential mate.” She frowned. “This doesn’t mean, I deliberately tried to use him. I loved Dean.” The sting in Castiel’s heart was somewhat softened by Lisa’s gentle tone. “At least I thought so at the time. But some things just never… For example, his scent – it always was a bit too strong for me, you know.”

Castiel just frowned and Lisa chuckled. “Well, maybe you _don’t_ know. That’s good.” She suddenly took Castiel’s hand and looked at him with an honest expression that simply couldn’t be faked. “And I can assure you, he has never looked at me the way he looks at you. I would have definitely noticed that.”

Castiel looked at her in surprise, but asked nevertheless: “Is that why you ended things?”

Dean had reluctantly admitted it was Lisa who spoke the words first.

“If, after 10 months, the alpha has not yet claimed you, you start to think. Courting is all nice and sweet – but a long dating period might be usual for betas. Not for an alpha and an omega.” Lisa answered with a sad smile that held no true pain.

The pair spent the next few minutes in comfortable silence, watching Dean and Ben on the wall. Castiel felt only warmth, when he observed how Dean let Ben handle himself as much as he could, encouraging him on times and always reaching out with a helping hand when needed. Castiel knew he could never negate his mate to meet up with the boy. Or his mother.

It would probably take time until Castiel would not feel a pang of jealousy, whenever he saw Lisa – but her open and sincere words had not been wasted on Castiel. His mind understood she presented no threat to his relationship with Dean; he just had to wait until his heart followed. When the two climbers finally came back and Ben chatted with childlike enthusiasm, Castiel had to admit how impressed he was with an omega who had raised such a great child single-handedly.

After Castiel and Lisa had had the opportunity to clear the air between each other, the afternoon was spent in unexpected jovialness. The omegas often rolled their eyes synchronously when the _two boys_ did anything supposedly hilarious and Castiel felt more affection for the woman than he would have ever anticipated. The fact that Ben didn’t show any signs of apprehension towards Castiel, relieved the omega even more – the boy was obviously not irritated that he might have stolen his mother’s place or something of the kind.

Just before the two pairs separated in the parking lot, Dean said: “By the way, Benny says hi.”

“Oh, thank you. Maybe you can tell him hello from me as well.” Castiel just stared at Lisa, enthralled with the light blush that crept up her neck. Ben nudged his mother lightly, grinning. “You can also tell him, we had no more trouble with the roof since he had repaired it last week. I… ahem… was planning to invite him to a thank-you-dinner sometime.”

“I am sure he would like that. After all, he likes to eat.”

Sometimes Castiel wondered at the strange things his mate said.

 

>><< 

 

Back at home, the couple prepared some sandwiches together. Dean looked at his mate questioningly whenever he caught Castiel staring at him intently. The omega was trying to figure out what Lisa had meant by _the way Dean looked at him_. So far, he could not make out anything unusual. Dean looked at him like he had since they first met.

After dinner, Castiel and Dean cuddled on the couch and started to watch Parks and Recs – since Kevin had heavily recommended it to Castiel. The omega might have also proclaimed his undying love for a character named Ben Wyatt and Castiel was just curious. After four episodes, he was a bit disappointed that this Ben had not yet appeared, but even so he liked the show well enough. Nonetheless, his mind started to wander. The day had given him enough food for thought after all.

“You know, I never tried to play you or anything. I thought there would be only betas and no one would notice that my heat had just started. And I thought, I would only sit on the side, watching.”

To Dean’s credit, he caught on fast to Castiel’s sudden statement.

“Yeah, I know, baby. Even Crowley knows it – he just can’t help but try to make everyone uncomfortable. And of course, he constantly looks out for something he can use to his advantage.”

“But you still trust him?”

“Yeah. As long as I pay him well enough and his mother hates him working for me as much as she does. She seems to think he wastes his talents. And he just likes to annoy her too much to do anything else. They have a complicated relationship. Also, Crowley might be cunning and you have to check any agreements with him for loopholes – but in the end, he will always honour his contracts. And before he started working for me, I had his contract checked and rechecked for weeks.”

 “So,… is there something going on between Lisa and Benny?”

The non-sequitur had Dean sit up and untangle from their comfortable position of being draped over each other. Castiel involuntarily let out a little whine.

“What? No! What do you mean? No.”

All of a sudden, Castiel felt foolish. Dean was friends with both of them. Surely, he would have noticed if there were some sparks flying around. Or would he?

“Well, I know I just met her, but Lisa seemed uncharacteristically bashful when you brought up Benny this afternoon. And last Thursday, Benny had repeatedly tried to not-that-inconspicuously ask about Lisa.”

“Did he? I don’t remember that.” Dean frowned and leaned back down, arms folding around Castiel once again. By now, they were more sitting up than lying down.

“Well, no one was listening. Though, I wasn’t sure whether it was on purpose or not.”

Dean still looked like someone who just heard the earth wasn’t shaped like a disk for the first time. Then, slowly: “He does sometimes come by her place and help around the house. But he never… I mean, he never said anything, or made any other advances as far as I know.”

“Maybe he wasn’t sure how you felt about her? And didn’t want to risk your friendship?”

Castiel asked and Dean’s frown just deepened, but then he swiftly pulled the omega towards him so that Castiel was straddling his lap.

“At least, he doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. Since I am obviously very much taken and have no room for any other omegas in my life.”

With those words, the TV as well as Dean’s friends were soon completely forgotten and the two men engaged in a heated make-out-session on the couch. Castiel kissed his way along Dean’s jaw and down his neck, where he nibbled and even slightly bit into the sensitive skin. Alphas were not known to tolerate anyone touching their throats, but Dean just tipped his head further to the side when Castiel started to suck at the crook of Dean’s neck.

When he finally pulled back, Castiel could see the spot had turned a deep shade of purple and his eyes widened at what he had just done.

The alpha, however, just smirked.

“You marking _me_ up now, Mr. Winchester?”

Castiel took this as his cue to assault the alpha’s neck again. After he was satisfied with his work, Castiel pulled back and watched Dean watching him, searching for something in the alpha’s eyes again.

And just as Dean suddenly stood with his mate still tightly in his arms, Castiel thought he might have seen a glimpse of what Lisa had been talking about.

In any case, he definitely felt special when Dean looked at him like that.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone. :) Just so you know – after this one, there will be 2 more chapters + 1 epilogue. And I’m afraid I have to stick with the updates-only-on-Thursdays-schedule till the end. So, definitely no more Mondays (in case anyone was wondering). :(


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you don’t mind some Castiel&Sam-bonding-time – because that is basically all that’s happening in this one. ;-)

Chapter SIXTEEN

 

They had discussed that from now on, Dean would go back to work every day for a couple of hours. Castiel was more than okay with that – it surely eased his guilt. After all, Dean had needed to take one whole week off already, and without warning. Castiel imagined, with him being the CEO, that might have caused some troubles. On the other hand, no one had seemed panicked or overworked when Castiel hat visited WinSec yesterday. But he still thought it was a good idea for Dean to show up at the office again, if only for a couple of hours.

Even though Dean had tried to not wake Castiel when he got up, the omega followed the alpha downstairs to share breakfast with him. But he was seriously considering going back to bed once the alpha was out of the door. Not that Dean needed to know about that.

During their quiet breakfast, Castiel kept staring at his mate’s neck, trying to be as unobtrusive as he could. Dean was basically covered in purple and blueish specks. After Castiel had started to mark his mate last night, he had hardly been able to stop. He was honest enough with himself to admit that meeting Lisa might have had something to do with his sudden show of possessiveness.

What truly puzzled him though, was how much Dean did not seem to mind Castiel’s behaviour, and even now he was not-in-any-way responding to the hickeys. Castiel had half expected Dean to roar in anger as soon as he walked into the bathroom this morning and saw himself in the mirror for the first time. Or maybe Dean was too sleepy to see himself clearly right after waking up – Castiel knew all about that. He even contemplated to make a comment just as Dean was about to leave, but then he could see the alpha glancing at the mirror in the hall – and all the man did was grin. He kissed Castiel goodbye and left. Hickeys all out in the open, for everyone to see. Dean hadn’t even turned up his collar like Castiel had seen him do before.

As soon as the door closed, Castiel only shrugged and tried to not smile like an idiot.

The omega had decided he would use his free time in the morning to sort through his things again. The couple had unpacked most of it by now – apart from two boxes with books. Dean had promised to get new shelves to make some room for them. The books which they had already scattered around the living room, however, showed no discernible order at all. And Castiel didn’t like it when his books weren’t in order. Even before, in his old flat, where they were mainly stacked in piles on the floor, Castiel would have never placed the Lightbringer saga next to Jane Austen novels. It was just wrong. He knew he had his own strange system, that had nothing to do with the alphabet or chronology, not even with genre, so it was impossible to ask anyone for help. Besides, he would rather not have _someone_ roll his eyes at him when he made arguments like _those are all ideal bathtub-readings_.

Just as he had started to rearrange the books in one of the shelves in the living room, Castiel’s phone rang. He startled for a second, still not used to how often his phone chimed these days. Not that no one had ever tried to get in touch with him before – Gabriel called regularly and Balthasar would send strange texts every now and then. But it had not been that uncommon for his phone to stay silent for a whole week. Unlike now, when he received texts on a daily basis: Sam regularly checked in with him; as did his own brother – Gabriel had by now asked three times whether Castiel was still _disgustingly happy_ or should he come by and shoot someone. Charlie was less bloodthirsty and obviously loved texting. At the very least, she sent her _Harry Potter quote of the day_. This morning it had been: _I mean, you could claim that anything's real if the only basis for believing in it is that nobody's proved it doesn't exist!_ Even Kevin had once or twice texted and Hannah was also checking in a lot more frequently than she used to. Yesterday, even Jody had sent him a picture, of the two girls heading out to the lake together. The peaceful image was somewhat clouded by the headline _I hope they make it back alive._

But this time the phone rang, it wasn’t a text, but a call from Sam.

Castiel answered with: “Hello, Sam. How are you?”

After that, there was a short pause, then: “Hey, Cas. Listen, I have half a day off and I was just heading out to the Norfolk Gallery. I was thinking… maybe you would like to come with?”

“Oh… well… sure. I’d love to.”

Castiel frowned despite his affirmative answer. There was a huge part of him that believed Sam didn’t just _coincidentally_ have a day off. He very much suspected that Dean had called his brother to see if he could keep Castiel company. The omega was more than a bit irritated by that– he was an adult after all, and he didn’t need anyone to look after him. He had been on his own for over fifteen years now, thank you very much. But at the same time, he was touched that Dean was worrying so much about his emotional state. And maybe, he pondered, Dean was even trying to kill two birds with one stone: The alpha didn’t seem to be too much interested in art galleries or museums, unlike Castiel. Or Sam. So, it might just pay out to give the two omegas an opportunity to enjoy their hobbies together.

But even though his alpha might be more cunning than Castiel would have liked, he would love to spend some time with Sam and so he happily agreed. Ignoring Dean’s maybe-ulterior motives for now.

 

>><< 

 

Half an hour later, Sam picked him up and Castiel was nearly squashed in the tall man’s hug. Before he started his car, however, Sam looked intently at Castiel for a moment, but didn’t make any comment. Just as Castiel was about to ask if there was something wrong, Sam turned the ignition.

As it turned out, Thursday morning was the perfect time to visit a gallery – the two omegas were nearly alone and could enjoy the exhibits to the fullest.

Afterwards, they went into a small salad bar and sat in a corner with their light meals.

“So, how is mated life agreeing with you?” There was no smirk on Sam’s face, no suggestive wink, just sincerity. Questions like those often hinted at a very certain area, and Castiel would very much not feel comfortable to talk about _that_ with his mate’s brother. Not that there would have been any complaints.

But Castiel recognized the honesty behind the question; Sam was truly worried about his well-being. As an omega, Sam could probably muster more empathy with what Castiel was going through than most people. Not to mention that Sam was helping abused omegas for a living. So naturally, he would be more sensitive to the subject. Still, he was Dean’s brother, and any other relative might have shown more partiality.

“Very well, actually. I feel very… secure and calm. Confident even.”

“You look happy,” Sam observed, something close to surprise in his voice.

“I _am_ happy.” Castiel smiled while the other omega still looked at him with a strange expression.

“So… no abandonment feelings while Dean is away?” Sam leaned forwards and studied Castiel even more intently.

“No, nothing of the kind. I have heard this could be an issue, especially in the first few weeks. But Dean has got to work and later, he will be back. That is okay. After all, I plan to go back to work as well next week.” When Sam just kept looking at him, he added: “That doesn’t mean I am not going to be happy when Dean comes back home, but I do not feel pain or neglect or anything of the kind.”

“Oh. Good.” Sam leaned back again and furrowed his brows noticeably.

“You don’t look like it’s good…?” Castiel himself was not sure if it was a statement or a question, too puzzled at the omega’s reaction.

“What? No! It is. I just…” Sam looked a bit embarrassed and cleared his throat. “When Dean told me, he would go back to the office today, I feared that you… might feel lonely. So, I called you. Not that I didn’t want to spend time with you! I just didn’t want you to feel abandoned.”

Huh. Maybe Castiel had accused Dean wrongly of not being able to leave him alone for five whole hours. Sam still looked puzzled and Castiel studied him more closely, feeling like there was something else the omega hadn’t told him yet. He didn’t want to push though, so he stayed silent and waited for Sam to elaborate – if he wanted to. Castiel had learned this was a good tactic when dealing with Dean, so maybe it worked just as well with his younger brother.

After a minute – and one minute could feel surprisingly long – Sam sighed.

“It’s just--- I felt desolate whenever _my_ alpha mate left me.”

At that, Castiel perked up. He had known that Jessica was not Sam’s first mate, but Castiel had not realized that he had been with an alpha before. He had once asked Dean about this, but his mate had only answered with: _Ruby, total bitch_. And Castiel had let the subject drop.

“But I guess, that was a different kind of mating altogether.” Sam flashed a sad smile.

“This was Ruby, yes? How… what happened?” Castiel was pretty sure Sam would understand his meaning. Seeing as there was only one way an omega could break a bond.

“In short? Dean happened.” Sam’s tone was unreadable – it could have suggested anything from grateful to irate.

Castiel twitched. Did Sam imply…? He had known that Dean had killed before – having been a soldier and all that. As he remembered Dean’s fury when Castiel had talked about Alastair, suddenly, he thought it very much possible for his mate to challenge another alpha to the death.

Sam studied Castiel intently, noticing his anxiety.

“Maybe that was a bit too short an answer.” Sam took a deep breath and Castiel imagined he was trying to collect himself before he would share intimate details about his past.

“You… you don’t have to tell me anything, Sam. I would be happy to listen, but don’t feel like this is an obligation.”

“But I want to, I truly do. Everyone else knows about my last mate, and so should you.” He inhaled again, this time with more determination on his features. “About eight years ago, I started my first job as a lawyer. Dean was on a six-months-mission at the time and I had just moved to a new city.

“I had started in a big law firm that specialised in compensation for damages. I don’t need to tell you of all people how rough it can be. First job _and_ an omega. You want to impress everyone and at the same time you are being constantly degraded. There hardly passed a day when no one made any sort of remark about how I was unfit for _this line of work_. Of course, the fact that you go into heat every now and then just makes you that more vulnerable.”

All this sounded very familiar to Castiel. Always trying to excel, working harder than anyone else for the slightest appreciation – and every short-coming would be blown out of proportions. Your beta colleague miscalculated in the thousands – hey, things like that happened to everyone! Castiel made a miniscule mistake in preliminary evaluations – obviously, logic and omegas just didn’t mix well.

“So, it was hard, and I had only a few colleagues I got along with. One of them was Ruby.” Sam smiled in a mixture of delight and shame, obviously lost in memories. “She was an alpha and she had been nice to me from day one. Never referred to me being an omega, never acted like she thought I might not be as capable as all our colleagues. Quite the opposite, she always supported me and eventually she gave me the feeling that I could do _anything_. And she was funny. Not to mention absolutely gorgeous.

“So, when she finally asked me out, I was already head over heels in love with her. Two weeks later, I basically moved into her apartment.” The lost smile was suddenly wiped from Sam’s face. “Right about that time, Dean came back home, and of course he visited me first thing. Obviously, he could smell Ruby on me. So, I arranged for us all to meet and we went out for dinner. I was pretty anxious, to be honest. I knew how protective Dean was of me, so I was not that surprised when, the next day, my brother told me how very much he did not like my girlfriend. And he was _passionate_ about that sentiment.”

Sam paused for a moment and Castiel couldn’t help, but feel a bit frightened. Could this story be paraphrased with: _Well, my brother hated my mate, so he shot her. And he is family, so now we are good again._ Castiel did not really believe that, but at the moment, all the information was hinting that way. And no matter how tender Dean had always treated him, Castiel knew the alpha did possess a violent streak.

“Like I said, Dean had always been mistrusting of anyone who came close to me, so I thought he was just being protective. Maybe even jealous. And after all, I was in love. So, I didn’t really listen to his reasoning. Ruby encouraged me in my suspicions against Dean, told me how my brother didn’t want to see me grow up, didn’t want to lose me since he had no one else. She didn’t use quite those words, she can be very subtle when she wants to. But I felt affirmed. So, I let my relationship with Dean suffer and convinced myself that I was on the higher ground. I had every right to choose my own partner. I was an adult, so I didn’t need my brother to approve of my choice like in the old days.”

“And you don’t.” Castiel said softly, not liking the self-loathing on Sam’s face. From what he had heard so far, Sam hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Yeah, I know.” Sam smiled tensely. “But even so, I should at least have listened to my brother and not just dispatch his arguments as jealousy or possessiveness. Of course, Dean’s arguments weren’t that easy to pick out between the yelling.” Sam chuckled without humour.

“A couple of weeks after I had started dating Ruby, I practically ignored Dean completely. I didn’t answer the phone, didn’t write back and Ruby was constantly whispering in my ear that I was doing the right thing. Acting like an adult. An independent omega who didn’t need any alpha to patronise him. And that flattered me more than anything else.

“She knew all the buttons to push. Knew how often I had compared myself to my brother. Knew how I hated it when he tried to make decisions for me or when he felt the need to protect me like I couldn’t defend myself.” Sam’s fingers nervously tapped on the table.  

“And then my heat started.” He bit his bottom lip lightly. “Two weeks earlier, I had been diagnosed with Omuterra.” Sam made a pregnant pause in his narration and Castiel, of course, could guess what had happened next.

Omuterra was an illness that only occurred in omegas. It was hardly painful and easily treated with the right medicine. But if you didn’t do anything about it, it could lead to infertility. The problem with the medication was, however, that it blocked both the heat and the claiming inhibitor. So, normally, right after the treatment, you would go into heat very soon – and better not let anyone bite you. There were countless stories of omegas who had been accidentally claimed during that time. Lack of knowledge often being the cause. But Sam didn’t seem like the type who didn’t know about the side effects, so Castiel was not that surprised when he explained:

“I didn’t plan to spend my heat with Ruby. I told her how… vulnerable this medication made me. But she was so… she was obviously very keen for us to mate while I was in heat. Told me how much better I would feel with her and how good I smelled and how beautiful I was…”

Sam paused again, swallowed. What came next was obviously still very hard for him to share. Castiel followed his instincts and reached over the table, taking one of Sam’s hands in his, stroking lightly across the palm.

“All the sweet-talk worked like a charm on me. So, I agreed to stay with her – as long as she promised she would not bite me. She did, and I trusted her.

“Within the first three hours of my heat, she had claimed me. Said she couldn’t have helped it. It just happened. An alpha cannot be expected to withhold with an omega in heat… blah blah.” Sam scoffed, fury and shame both clearly written on his face.

“And I was in love,” he said, voice thick with self-mockery. “So, I believed her. Nonetheless, from that moment on, I knew there was something wrong. I just knew. But I was still trying to make excuses for her. We spent two days locked in her apartment and during this short time-period, she had already changed. She had degraded me with words, and I just thought it might be my heat. She had liked to get rough before, so her humiliating words might have just been an increase during my heat and she would turn to be more caring again, once I was back to normal.” The omega scoffed again. Obviously, that had never happened.

“On the third day of my heat, she left me. Said she had a meeting she could not possibly postpone. I knew all about her work schedule and the appointment she had could have easily been cancelled, especially for a newly-claimed mate in heat. But at the time, I called her responsible and duteous. Good traits in an alpha. Still, this first day she left me was horrendously painful. I had just been claimed _and_ I was in heat, so I suffered through throes of abandonment.

“She came back late at night, reasoning that the meeting took a lot longer than anticipated. And I believed that as well. Told myself that my mate would never leave me on purpose. Even though, deep down, I knew better.

“The first two weeks were painful, to say the least. Ruby asked me to go back to my place. Obviously, we didn’t know each other well enough to move in together just yet. And she would visit me at my place, as often – or not – as she liked.”

Castiel was involuntarily drawing parallels to his own claiming and not for the first time, he felt gratefulness wash over him. Dean had invited an absolute stranger to his home, not regarding for a second whether they knew each other well enough or not. Of course, Dean had also only marked him when Castiel had asked him to. Sam gave him a smile that indicated he could guess what the other omega was thinking about.

“And then there was Dean. He came to visit me, unannounced since I had not been answering his calls for weeks at that time. He immediately smelled what had happened and reprimanded me. Called me irresponsible and was even more pissed at Ruby. He was so enraged that I was sure he would just march up to her and cut her head off. So, I lied to him. Told him I agreed to this. That I loved Ruby and she loved me. That he was not my alpha, never had been. And those were just the nicest things I had thrown his way.” Sam ducked his head in obvious shame.

There were a few minutes of silence. Castiel could paint the image clearly in his mind: Sam who was suffering from a neglectful and – as Castiel assumed by now – deliberately cruel mate, split between love and fear. On the other side was Dean, jumping to conclusions and yelling at his brother before he had a chance to explain himself. In this moment, defending his mate might have been triggered as much by love as by self-defence. It wasn’t easy to admit a mistake or ask for help when you had just been covered with blame.

“After that, it got a lot worse. Ruby wouldn’t even talk to me for days. Sometimes, she just showed up at night to mate with me. Whenever she did, she smelled like somebody else, and that is just the stupidest thing: By that time, I didn’t want her anymore, only hated her for treating me like that. But the omega in me was still devastated by her unfaithfulness. I had to call in sick for weeks on end, because I could hardly make it out of bed. In the end, they just told me I didn’t need to come in anymore – my mate didn’t want me to work. From everything Ruby had said and done since she claimed me, I concluded this had been her plan all along. Acting nice, claiming the omega and then throw them out like garbage.

“Once she even told me that this was what omegas like me deserved; omegas, who didn’t know their place. And I just--- never before had I felt this _weak_. Ever since dad had left and Dean had encouraged me to do whatever the hell I wanted, I was confident. I always knew about my skills, knew I was a good lawyer – and thanks to my size and a little training from Dean, I knew how to keep an alpha away on a more forceful level.

“But Ruby didn’t need to overpower me physically. She just made me feel naïve and most of all – incredibly stupid. She had left me for three weeks already, and I had not yet called Dean. I was too proud and I was also sure he would never forgive the things I had said to him. Most of all, I was scared he would simply tell me he didn’t care anymore.

“So, I suffered alone. Until I had my next heat. And then, suddenly, Ruby was back, more vicious than ever before. She seemed to get a kick out of dominating strong omegas. I mostly remember I was hurting, crouching on the floor – when the door burst open. And Dean stood in the doorframe, eyes as red as I have ever seen on an alpha.

“I still don’t know what made Dean storm in that day, how he knew what was going on. He swears he could feel it. That I was in pain, or worse. And he came prepared, for he wasn’t alone. Behind him were Bobby and Jody.

“The next things happened so fast, it is just a blur in my head. Dean was suddenly in front of me, holding my face to his neck, covering me with a blanket. And a second later, Bobby was leading me out of the flat and into Dean’s car, that had been waiting downstairs.”

Castiel could do nothing than look at Sam with wide eyes. He squeezed Sam’s hands occasionally, but he thought the other omega hardly noticed he was there anymore. Sam seemed completely lost in his memories of that night.

“For the first time in weeks, I was feeling like I could breathe again. It helped to have Dean’s scent around me, omnipresent in the car, as well as Bobby who is also an alpha and as close to me as a father. Then, after mere seconds or long hours, I felt something in me break. But despite the pain, I felt calm.”

For the first time since Sam had started talking, his face showed a peaceful expression. Whenever Hannah had told Castiel about the moment her bond had been broken, there was a painful grimace on her face – but Sam only seemed serene.

“I don’t know what happened exactly, I had never seen Ruby’s body. It was smart of Dean to bring Jody – a sheriff is the perfect witness for a challenge between alphas. I have no idea what made Ruby accept, a child could have predicted she had no chance. But I know how arrogant she was, so I have no doubt she plunged right into the fight.

“As I said, I know no details, but I remember that Dean soon joined me in the backseat, smelling of triumph and bloodshed, but when he hugged me there was no better scent in the world to me.”

There was a moment of silence again and Castiel tried to take in everything he had just heard. He would have never guessed that Sam had been through such a nightmare – but there were just some scars you couldn’t see. At least, the brothers seemed to have been able to heal the wounds they had inflicted on each other.

“Of course, the aftermath wasn’t easy as well. Dean had taken me to his apartment, but we didn’t talk to each other for days. _I_ didn’t talk to _anyone_ for days. Until both Bobby gave us a piece of his mind and we hesitantly started to explain and apologise.

And to this day, I cannot believe that, eventually, Dean forgave me.”

“Maybe there just isn’t that much to forgive.” Castiel whispered and squeezed Sam’s hands again.

“I was stupid enough to let myself get claimed. And then the things I said to him... after he had been looking out for me throughout our whole lives.”

“You weren’t stupid. You trusted someone – and you had no reason not to. It is not your fault that Ruby was mean and vicious. And for the things you said – we all have said things we don’t mean. You had just been abandoned by your mate, a woman you trusted and loved; you were in pain and cannot be held responsible for everything you said at that time. And I believe Dean knows this as well.”

Sam just gave him a small smile and a semi-confident nod. Castiel realised he was probably not the first person who had delivered that speech to the omega. He sincerely hoped Dean had told his brother something similar.

After another moment of silence, Sam admitted: “So, I was concerned when Dean left you today. I thought maybe you would feel like I did. And I am happy to know that you don’t.”

Castiel understood the hint to change the subject to lighter areas. “Yes, I feel very grounded in my bond. Not deserted at all.”

“I am glad my brother is such a good mate to you.”

“He is.” Then, trying to get Sam focused on something bright in his own life, he added: “You have a very good mate as well. How did you meet Jessica?”

“Well, I had moved in with Dean and as soon as I was back on my feet, I looked for another job. I aggressively applied for AMC. After what happened to me, I wanted to help other omegas in similar situations – so I was overjoyed when they finally hired me. And there I met Jess. You know, it took me a while to trust her. Dating a co-worker wasn’t something I thought I’d ever consider again. But with Jess, everything is different. She is warm and empathic. And even Dean loves her,” Sam added with the first honest smile in the last hour. “And it probably helped that she is a beta. I don’t think I could have bonded with another alpha.”

Castiel licked his lips, not daring to ask the question on his mind, but Sam was observant enough.

“There are downsides to being mated to a beta. The bond is not as strong and part of me misses the close connection. We can’t have children on our own since Jessica is a woman and my sperm is useless in that area. And it is easier to spend a heat with an alpha than a beta, there is no denying that.”

Castiel knew beta and omega mates split up more often than beta/beta unions. In many cases, the reason was that the omega still partially craved an alpha, especially in heat. Balthasar had once ashamedly confessed that he had broken up with an omega he had loved. He just hadn’t been able to get over the feeling of never being enough. And if that happened to someone as seemingly confident as Balt… Still, this didn’t mean, betas and omegas couldn’t be happy with each other. Sam and Jess were the best example.

“But I am very happy – and most of those things are easily helped with. I might not feel Jess as close as I would have an alpha. But I still know she would never betray me and always has my back. And for the other matter: we can always adopt. As for my heats…” Sam suddenly blushed, hard, and Castiel was intrigued. “… you know, Dean nearly always _coincidentally_ shows up. He has a new excuse every time – brings back some movie he borrowed; stumbled over a smurf blanket Jessica might like; was just driving by when he suddenly needed to visit the bathroom and could not possibly make it home.”

Sam laughed and Castiel joined in.

“In the end, we always sit on the couch, as close to each other as we dare, and watch a movie. And it helps, to have an alpha scent close to me if only for a couple of hours.” He chuckled again. “Just don’t tell him I know about these fake excuses. We never ever talk about it. I imagine he doesn’t openly want to admit how worried he is. And I feel like as soon as we address the matter, I would have to tell him it really isn’t necessary.” There was another shy smile on his face when he admitted: “And I really don’t want to do that.” 

When the two omegas finally separated around noon, Castiel felt a lot closer to his brother-in-law than he had before. They hugged tightly, both of them not wanting to let go for some moments.

 

>><< 

 

When Dean returned in the early afternoon, Castiel had just started another attempt to rearrange his books. But again, he was interrupted. As soon as the alpha had stepped over the threshold, he prowled straight towards Castiel and breathed in deeply at his neck: “Mmmh, heaven.” He kissed his mate sensually and licked and nipped his way slowly down his throat. One could assume they hadn’t seen each other for weeks. Not that Castiel minded the passionate greeting.

After some moments however, Castiel pulled Dean’s head back gently since the alpha had shown no indication to let go of him anytime soon, but unfortunately, Castiel started to get a cramp in his awkward position down on the floor.

“I’m sorry. I guess, I still have to get used to how good you smell to me.”

Now, when his mate put it like that, who was Castiel to object. Dean straightened up and watched him with glinting eyes.

“So, how was your excursion with Sam?”

“Good. Enlightening. He told me about Ruby.” Castiel’s voice had turned lower with each word. Dean gently pulled his mate off the floor and they both sat down on the couch, hands entangling of their own accord.

“I am glad he did.” Dean paused for a moment and looked at Castiel, something close to insecurity on his features. “Are you… are you repulsed by me now?”

“No, I am not.” Castiel didn’t need one heartbeat to think about it. He reached out to touch Dean’s face. “You did the only thing possible to help your brother. And I consider myself a very happy omega to be mated to such a caring alpha.”

Dean turned his face and kissed Castiel’s palm. The alpha looked more than a bit affected by the praise and still, he added: “I realise, you are not into aggressive alphas who need to show off their dominance with violent acts. So, I feared…”

Castiel shut him up with a kiss, trying to clear all doubts without using any words. When the alpha finally pulled back, he made another confession.

“I know, you said you didn’t mind spending the day alone, but I am glad Sammy called you. I couldn’t help feeling guilty for leaving you.” He pecked Castiel again; then a mischievous glint appeared in his green eyes. “And you know, Sam really likes stuff like art galleries and exhibitions – so feel free to accompany him any time you want to. I mean, I am glad you two get along so well and you should really bond more over museums and the like. Not that I wouldn’t like to go with you – but I would feel bad to deny Sammy all the fun.”

Dean smirked, not even trying to hide his intentions.

When Castiel laughed in reply, head thrown back in obvious amusement, Dean saw his chance to lean back in, taking another deep breath.

“You really do smell good.”

And those would be the last words for some time.

 


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter SEVENTEEN

 

Castiel woke up the same way he had fallen asleep – with Dean’s face buried in his neck. The alpha was already dressed and Castiel thought he could pick up the faint smell of coffee and toast, so Dean was probably about to leave for work.

Castiel groaned. It couldn’t be this late already, could it?

“You need to call your doctor and ask for another appointment.”

“What?” This was not what Castiel had expected the alpha to say to him first thing in the morning. His sleepy state didn’t help to try and comprehend what he was talking about, either.

 “I am sorry. I should have realised this yesterday: Your heat seems to be on the way. I am guessing here, but it will probably start tomorrow. And you definitely won’t be able to go to any doctor’s practise on Friday. So, I would prefer if you called your Meg as soon as possible – or else I am afraid she will knock down the door in two days, demanding to see you.” Finally, Dean stopped mumbling into Castiel’s throat, pushed himself up and looked down at his mate with an endearingly confused expression. “I don’t think she trusts me much.”

Castiel could only stare at Dean; until, slowly, something clicked in his brain.

“Heat? But I am just out of heat.” Castiel breathed in deeply, but of course he would not be able to notice any change in his scent anyway. It was unfair that alphas could scent a heat before the omega noticed it himself.

“I’m sorry – but that’s definitely what I am scenting here. Maybe you could ask your doctor about that as well? When you call her?”

But it already dawned on Castiel. He had just radically changed his medication – his body was probably confused and it would take a while to settle into anything close to a regular schedule.

But to go into heat again? This soon? That was not something he particularly looked forward to. He had endured too many painful heats in his life to be remotely excited about the idea; no matter how pleasant the last one might have been.

He furrowed his brows in a grumpy frown and Dean leaned down again to kiss the hard lines on his forehead.

“I will tell Sam that Thursday dinner will be at his place again. Without us.” Dean announced and Castiel’s frown just deepened. He didn’t like to trouble his brother-in-law – even though Sam would understand and there was hardly anything that could be done about it. Castiel was just imagining how uncomfortable he would feel to host the loud Winchester pack while in heat, when Dean added tentatively: “Maybe you should even postpone your meeting with Naomi. You will be there next week anyway. You can talk to her then.”

“No. I want to do this today. It’s the last day of April and I have a period of notice of two calendar months. I want this to be over with.”

“Well, you know…” Dean cleared his throat and Castiel already knew what the alpha was about to say. “…you could stop working _any_ day. You just have to say your … ahem … alpha doesn’t want you to keep working.”

They had had the same conversation last night. Castiel wanted to go to his office to resign today, and Dean was convinced he should leave sooner rather than later. Castiel even agreed – though he didn’t say it out loud –, but he didn’t want to simply chicken out. He wanted to do everything properly and leave his affairs in order.

He didn’t exactly look forward to his meeting with Naomi, but he had gained in confidence the last couple of days. And he did not want to hide behind his alpha – even if it was tempting.

Castiel pulled himself up to his elbows and pecked his alpha on the lips. “No,” he answered simply. Dean only sighed, not surprised by the reply, and hesitantly stood.

“Text me when you’re done. Ok?” Dean sounded like Castiel was about to walk right into a pack of hyenas – which was a bit extreme. After all, Castiel had been working at Crossroads for years and no one had torn him to shreds. Yet.

After another kiss that lasted longer than intended, Dean left for work, and Castiel finally got up. A cold shower and delicious breakfast (which Dean had left on the table) later, Castiel felt a lot more awake than before – but unfortunately also more nervous.

 

>><< 

 

Due to the fact that his battered car was still parked at Dean’s cabin, Castiel took the bus again. He used to feel uncomfortable to be out alone, but since he was claimed, he didn’t mind other people around him. He was pretty sure no stranger would assault him and he even enjoyed this new-found freedom.

When he arrived at the Crossroads headquarters, he tried to ignore the – probably imagined – curious stares and walked straight to his office, where he met his colleagues Bartholomew and Thaddeus. Both of whom he had never liked. But he always felt weirdly satisfied to know that they, too, had to share an office and were not residing in one of the big rooms on the upper floors.

Both betas looked up, surprised, when Castiel entered. Bartholomew immediately opened his mouth to say something – since Castiel had known him for years, he was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be anything nice – but he stopped himself and sniffed visibly. Castiel felt a smugness grow in his chest; Bart obviously did not want to risk angering him as long as he didn’t know more about his relationship with the dominant alpha in his scent.

Thaddeus, on the other hand, was not as smart, but also not quite as offensive as Bart could be: “So, you here to pick up your things, Novak? Found your purpose in being a nice house-omega?”

Castiel ignored him for a moment and picked up a file on his desk; then: “No, I just wanted to check if you handled the Abner Case satisfactory while I was away.” Already at the door, he added: “And the name is Winchester.”

He walked out without another word and resisted the temptation to turn around again, just to see their dumbfounded faces.

He took the elevator to get to Naomi’s office and knocked on the door of the open anteroom before he stepped in.

“Castiel!” Pamela jumped and simply hung up the phone without another word. Castiel hoped, she hadn’t been talking to an important client.

Pamela studied him for a moment, expression slowly turning from worried to cheery. She almost stumbled over some cables when she hurried towards Castiel and hugged the omega tightly. “You’re looking good, Angelcakes.” She breathed in deeply. “Oh my. Is that who I think it is?” Obviously, the slight blush on Castiel’s face was enough of an answer. “Well done!” She chuckled. “I mean, now my hopes to catch _that_ certain alpha are completely dashed. But I can be quite generous so I won’t resent you for being more efficient than me.” She hugged him again, this time stealing her hand down to Castiel’s backside. “And who knows? Maybe someday, the two of you would like some company? Just don’t forget about me.” She winked and chuckled at Castiel’s by now completely red face.

The omega was abruptly ripped out of the light mood when the door to Naomi’s office opened and his boss announced: “Ah, Castiel. You are late.”

Castiel quickly glanced at the clock and oppressed the impulse to tell her that no, he wasn’t. It wouldn’t help him in the least. So instead, he ignored her comment and simply said: “Naomi, it’s good to see you. Thank you for meeting with me today.”

Naomi turned around wordlessly and Castiel followed her into the spacious office. For a second, he remembered his hyena-comparison from this morning, but he determinedly pushed that thought away.

Naomi walked to her side of the desk and looked out the window when she started talking without preamble: “So, this new status of yours came as a surprise. I am sure, none of us would have expected for you to get mated in this lifetime.” She said those words in such a matter-of-fact tone that Castiel didn’t know if the subtle insult was even intended. “I am guessing you are here to…” Naomi sniffed, then she obviously forgot what she was about to say and sneered instead: “Winchester.” She bared her teeth for a second, glaring at Castiel. “Is that what happens when I allow omegas to participate in a meeting? They throw themselves at the next best client?”

Naomi sat down on her executive chair, an almost disgusted expression on her face. Castiel stood a bit straighter and tried to not let his guilt show on his features. “No. This had nothing to do with the job. Just with me and Dean.”

Naomi raised an eyebrow at his mention of Dean’s first name. Hesitating only for a moment, Castiel sat down on the chair opposite from Naomi – obviously, he could wait forever for an invitation. At that action, Naomi’s eyebrow only wandered a bit higher.

“So, I am guessing that _your alpha_ …” – there was obvious reprimand in her voice when she used the title – “… doesn’t want you to work anymore. Probably expects you to make his place a home and bless him with countless children, yes? You didn’t really need to come in to tell me that. Mr. Winchester could just have called or let an assistant handle the affair. But of course, since you are here already, you can clear out your office and take all your personal belongings with you.”

Castiel cleared his throat. “This is not why I am here. I am here to officially hand in my resignation.” With these words, Castiel laid a sheet of paper in front of his boss. Naomi glanced down at it for less than a second and this time, she raised both eyebrows when she looked back at Castiel. She obviously didn’t see the difference between Castiel’s words and what she had just proposed. So, the omega tried to clarify: “I will still be working here for the next two months – like it is determined in my contract – before I am going to start at another place.”

“Another place? What, so you will still work – but for someone else?” Naomi huffed out a disbelieving laugh.

“Yes. I had a different offer.” Castiel raised his chin defiantly.

Naomi studied him as if she was trying to find out whether he was lying to her. “And what has your alpha to say to that?”

“Oh, he is very happy that I will soon start at a place where my skills are appreciated.” Castiel answered with a wide smile, showing some teeth of his own.

Naomi stared at him again, as much hostility in her eyes as she could summon – and for Naomi that meant _a lot_. But unlike the countless times before, when his boss had tried to intimidate him with looks alone, this time, Castiel did not back down. He faced her glare and after a moment, he even raised a provocative eyebrow. Naomi looked both surprised and irritated – but Castiel could have sworn he also noticed a hint of respect on her features.

“You know, you don’t have to stay. You can easily refer to your mated status and just leave right now. Claim your alpha doesn’t want to be mated to a working omega. Everyone will believe that.”

“But I would rather put my things in order first. I have been working on numerous projects and I want to know that even after I am gone, those will be finished in the best way possible. I have worked hard on my assignments and I don’t trust any of my co-workers to understand half of it.” Not to mention his direct supervisor, Uriel. “Moreover, I don’t want to lie – and _Dean_ does not mind that _his mate_ shows some intellect.”

Naomi noticeably tried to put on a more composed face and shrugged nonchalantly. “Whatever you say. We must honour our contracts, after all. I am glad you see it the same way. I admit, it would cause troubles to lose you overnight.”

Castiel assumed, she had suddenly remembered that Dean Winchester was still an important client and she would rather not openly offend his mate. It gave him a small sting, to know that Dean had more to do with her sudden courteousness than Castiel or his work ethics, but he assumed it couldn’t be helped. So, he just nodded.

Castiel waited a moment for Naomi to say something else. When she didn’t, he phrased an awkward good-bye and left.

Outside, he met Pamela again who saucily reminded him to not forget about her should he and his mate ever desire a _womanly_ touch in the house. Castiel laughed, the stress of the conversation with Naomi made it sound almost hysterical, and he even tried a cocky wink. Castiel thought it was a bit much, but the assistant giggled merrily.

He walked down the corridor, mind set to leave this place as quickly as possible, but just as he stepped into the elevator, Castiel stumbled over Uriel.

“You here to get your things, Castiel?” Uriel asked in a dismissive tone. He seemed a bit confused however, when he looked at Castiel’s empty hands.

“Not yet. You still have two months to find another poor employee to exploit, so you can take full credit for _their_ work as well. If I were you, I would start looking immediately. My skill set is hard to find.”

Castiel didn’t have to wait for a response since the doors of the elevators closed right in Uriel’s perplexed face – in a rare occurrence of perfect timing.

When Castiel left the building, he realised that he had probably not made the remaining weeks easier for him – but the look on Uriel’s face had made it worth it. He texted Dean in the feeling of euphoria you get when you finally had the chance to say what you have wanted to for years.

When Dean came home in the early afternoon, Castiel had not yet come down from his high. He knew, he would probably have to pay for his words to his superiors – but it was still Wednesday and next Monday seemed half an eternity away. Also, two months. He could manage two months – as long as he would come home to his _delicious_ smelling alpha every night.

At that thought, not to mention the fact that he had bared his neck as soon as Dean had stepped into the apartment, Castiel assumed his mate was right about him going into heat soon.

 

>><< 

 

Thursday morning, Castiel had his appointment with Meg. They had decided on the phone that they would not postpone it, but rather meet a day earlier. Before Castiel’s heat fully hit. He had planned to take the bus again, but naturally, Dean did not like this idea at all. He didn’t even want him to visit his physician in the first place, not to mention via public transportation. At least not while Castiel smelled like a _bouquet of all things desirable_.

After he had woken up, Castiel had felt hotter than usual and anticipated that his heat would be fully in term by tonight. But he tried to argument with Dean over breakfast that right now, he still felt absolutely coherent and completely healthy.

“And really, what could happen? I just go in, let Meg check me through and then I will be straight on my way back home again. It’s daylight and I won’t wander about in dark alleys. You will hardly notice me going out since you’re at work anyway.”

“What could happen?” Dean placed his cup on the table with a loud thud as he stared disbelievingly at his mate. “Is that what you told yourself when you walked into that meeting room two weeks ago?”

Castiel gaped at his mate with wide eyes. This was a low blow – and Dean knew it. Besides, now that he was already claimed, he could hardly get claimed again. But he didn’t say those words out loud; he wasn’t sure whether they would help or hinder his case.

Dean seemed to realise that he had hurt his mate and the alpha instantly tried to apologise with a soft kiss to Castiel’s temple.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to imply you did anything wrong. I am just concerned. And I very much don’t want you out of my sight when you smell so… _delicious_.” The alpha nearly growled and Castiel was more than a bit turned on by Dean’s low tone. He thought it was more than a bit embarrassing what Dean’s deep voice could do to him, even when he was not in this pre-heat-state.

In the end, Dean gave in to let Castiel visit his doctor – as long as the alpha was allowed to drive him there. He even suggested he could wait in the car – but that picture was just too ridiculous for Castiel and an hour later, Dean took a seat in the waiting room. In a corner. Not looking at any other omega patients.

When Castiel walked into Meg’s room, the physician hugged him quickly and then leaned back to look at him. Soon, a smile spread across her face.

“Well, Clarence, you look good.”

Castiel returned the smile. “I _feel_ good. Apart from, you know, going into heat again, so soon after the last one.”

Just as the omega had assumed, Meg explained that a bit of an erratic heat schedule was to be expected – with the sudden change of medication _and_ the claiming.

“It is not rare for a freshly claimed omega to go into heat every four weeks for the first few months. You know, now that you have an alpha mate, your body tries to tell you that this would be the perfect time to get pregnant. Especially…” – her grin widened – “…when you are so happy and relaxed. But two weeks is very unusual. I assume the medication has something to do with that – and the intervals should get longer from now on.”

Meg checked him thoroughly and the physician seemed more than happy with the results. Unsurprisingly, she determined that Castiel was not pregnant and quickly ran some standard tests until she proclaimed he was in perfect physical health. But the omega supposed she had been more interested in his mental state than his body functions, anyway.

In the end, she pulled him into another hug and even walked him to the waiting room to greet Dean. The alpha looked baffled when she offered him a heartfelt smile, that turned into an impish grin when she noticed the fading hickeys on the alpha’s neck.

 

>><< 

 

“You know, you could have at least let me take the bus back home, so you wouldn’t have to take that much of a detour on your way to work.”

Dean looked at Castiel like he had just grown two heads.

“What?” Castiel really didn’t like it when Dean was looking anywhere but the road while driving.

“What are you talking about? Of course, I am not going to work today. I am going to drive you home where you can pack a few things while I go grocery shopping. And then, I thought, we could head to a certain cabin near a certain lake.” The alpha blushed slightly and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck.

Castiel looked at his mate, confused – though a smile tugged on his lips before he had even processed the alpha’s words. Suddenly, Castiel felt a drop of slick running out his cleft. Just the thought of that cabin had memories rushing through his head. And in his current state, he would really, really like to revisit some of them. Dean only flashed a predatory smile at his reaction. Still, Castiel tried to reason:

“But you have to work. And I will be all right for some hours to come.”

Dean breathed in deeply and raised an eyebrow at Castiel – hinting at the growing scent of slick in the car.

When Dean finally parked the Impala in front of their apartment, he took Castiel’s hands – and the omega let out a whimpering sound at the mere touch.

“I have already texted everyone who needs to know that I will not come in until Monday – and to email me if anything might be important enough.” Dean lifted one of Castiel’s arms towards his face and breathed in at the wrist before he looked at his mate again. “I told you before, Cas, you will never be alone for your heats again.”

Dean let go of Castiel’s hands and leaned towards his mate’s neck where he licked twice over his mark. When Dean pulled back, he looked like a cat that had just enjoyed a whole bowl of cream. Castiel, on the other hand, felt like he had melted into the leather seats.

“And I very much look forward to taking care of you.” Those words were accompanied with a mischievous wink and a warm smile.

“I thought omegas in heat were too much work.” Castiel said dryly, mostly to compose himself.

Dean frowned for a second; then he remembered when he had said something of the kind.

“Don’t twist my words. I was talking about one-time-pick-ups. For you, for my mate,… taking care of _you_ is both my pleasure _and_ my privilege.” He leaned forwards again, this time planting a playful peck on Castiel’s nose. “Now, what do you say, would you rather stay here or at a secluded little cabin where no one can disturb us?”

Castiel smiled at Dean. “I might not be averse to relive some memories at your cabin.”

This time, Dean kissed Castiel ferociously on the mouth. “As you wish.” He winked. “Now go and pack your things and I will be right back with a trunk full of food and water.”

Castiel got out, but just before he closed the door of the car, he said: “Let’s hope, Bobby won’t remember to bring you some tools again.”

Dean just laughed.

 

>><< 

 

While they were driving to Dean’s weekend house, Castiel was trying not to squirm. Too much. He was also concentrating on not touching Dean. His heat had come stronger a lot sooner than he had anticipated. The close proximity to Dean was probably encouraging his hormones to act up.

He could now understand what the books meant with _the claimed omega will only crave his own mate during heats_. Every time before, Castiel had just been hit with a powerful sexual desire, but he had never really pictured anyone in particular while he was taking care of things himself, no matter how good all alphas suddenly smelled. But now, he very much wanted _Dean_ , wanted to scent him and touch him and even simply hear his voice.

They arrived at the cabin a lot later than Castiel would have liked. For the last couple of miles, he had noticed how white Dean’s knuckles had turned around the steering wheel. Castiel liked to think his mate was having some difficulties to keep his hands to himself as well. That thought satisfied him as much as it made him even more impatient.

When they finally halted, Castiel thought they should just go down to business right away. Probably even in the Impala. But Dean quickly exited the car; at the same time as Castiel reached out to him. The alpha leaned against the closed door for a second and took a deep breath. Then he opened the trunk and started unpacking, still not addressing Castiel in any way.

The omega sat in the car for a few long moments, frowning while he tried to reason with himself.

Yes, he knew Dean was not rejecting him. They would not be here otherwise. And there were quite a few things that should be put in the fridge right away. But the way Dean had not even looked at him for the last ten minutes stung nonetheless.

Finally, Castiel got out and followed Dean to the kitchen, two small bags in his hands. He handed Dean the items he had brought in successively and the alpha stowed them away. Until Castiel’s bags were empty and the omega just stood in the middle of the kitchen, stepping anxiously from one foot to the other. When Dean turned around again, Castiel had a strong feeling of déjà vu – it was right here where things had started and just by thinking about it, Castiel felt a rivulet of slick pool in his underwear.

Fortunately, Dean had obviously given up on acting unimpressed and Castiel could see a spark of gold flash in the alpha’s forest green eyes. As soon as Dean pulled Castiel towards him, the omega moaned and melted into the alpha’s arms. Their lips met halfway and Dean teased slowly into his mate’s mouth. Once in, his movements turned more possessive and his tongue dominated Castiel’s mouth while his hands roamed up and down his mate’s body.

Suddenly, Dean stepped back and before Castiel could even catch his breath, the alpha had thrown him unceremoniously over his shoulder and rushed up the stairs, one hand firmly on Castiel’s dampened backside. Normally, this action would be a little too much on the caveman side for Castiel’s liking, but right now, a little show of alpha demeanour just intensified his lust.

Dean dropped him on the bed, but made no move to follow. The alpha just looked down at his mate, awe in his eyes. “You are so beautiful, baby.” Castiel blushed and Dean’s smile grew more predatory. “And all mine, all for me. My beautiful omega.”

Castiel moaned, but when the alpha still didn’t move a muscle, he sat up and crawled on the bed towards Dean.

“You talk too much,” he said and started to tug at Dean’s shirt. The alpha laughed, but complied – while Castiel sat back down on his heels, Dean not only pulled his shirt over his head, but his shoes, socks, jeans and underwear soon formed a pile on the floor.

Castiel had to keep himself from drooling when he looked at the perfect specimen before him – more slick running down his hole already. Dean simply stood there for a moment, bow-legged and cocky, obviously enjoying the admiration on his mate’s face.

Then he moved towards Castiel and leaned into him until the omega was lying on his back, still fully dressed, with a completely naked alpha on top. Dean slipped down his body and then started at his feet, taking off one shoe at a time.

It took the alpha almost an hour simply to undress Castiel. Obviously, every exposed spot of skin needed to be licked and kissed. When Dean finally pulled off his briefs, Castiel was a moaning mess, already begging for Dean to just _get on with it_.

But the alpha didn’t seem to be in any kind of hurry. He laid down on top of Castiel again; the full skin contact from head to toe had Castiel whimper once more. When Dean’s fingers gently invaded his hole, the omega almost came from that action alone, satisfied to finally have at least something inside of him.

But of course, mere fingers were not what he craved. Still, he had been on edge for so long that when Dean finally pushed his length into him, Castiel’s legs thrown over his shoulders, it didn’t take long for the omega to cry out his release. If he were more coherent, he might feel embarrassed about how easily he fell apart.

“Gods, look at that. You come so beautifully for me. Just from having me inside you. Such a good omega. My wonderful mate.” While Dean was still slowly pounding into him, seeking his own completion, Castiel felt like he could come again just from listening to his mate rambling on, alternating between the sweetest praise and the dirtiest compliments.

Half an hour later, both men were coming down from their shared euphoria, bodies entangled and still locked together by Dean’s knot. Castiel was practically glued to his mate’s skin and his nose was pressed to the crook of his neck. He breathed in deeply and once again found that Dean smelled like ambrosia. He remembered the first time they had been like this and wondered about how peaceful and sheltered he had felt even then.

He huffed out a sudden laugh that provoked Dean to answer with a lazy “Hm?”

“I was just thinking… maybe heats are not so bad after all. I could get quite used to this.”

He moved his hips slightly and both men moaned when Dean’s knot released another thrust of come.

There was a moment of blissful silence until Dean asked: “So, you have no regrets about the last one?”

Castiel thought about this for a moment. How he had met Dean in the boardroom, how the alpha had looked after him during his heat and of course, he remembered his first few weeks as a mated omega – weeks that had been the happiest in his life.

“No, I don’t. If I hadn’t imprudently shown up at your cabin in heat, I would have never been mated to you. And I very much like to be your mate. I still can’t believe I stumbled across an alpha who makes me feel safe and confident and… complete.”

Dean responded to his confession with a proud rumble and a deep kiss. Until he pulled back to answer cockily: “I am glad you think that way. But heat or not, we would have, eventually, ended up here, like this. Maybe it would have taken a bit longer, but I would not have let you off the hook so easily.”

Castiel snorted. “I was very much against the idea of mating. And I didn’t like alphas. So, I probably would not even have agreed to go to Starbuck’s with you.”

“Oh, you just have never seen the Winchester charm in full action.”

Dean smirked and Castiel couldn’t help but smile in return. He was not as convinced as his alpha obviously was, but here, in his comforting embrace, it didn’t matter anyway.

As soon as Dean’s knot went down, the alpha reached behind himself – and handed Castiel a bottle of water. The omega laughed happily.

Yes, maybe heats were not so bad after all – as long as he could spend them with such a caring alpha.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one short epilogue left… ;)


	18. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is it. (For now.) I hope you enjoyed this story. :-)

EPILOGUE

_18 Months later…_

 

Castiel was nervous.

He knew that, rationally, he had no reason to be, but he couldn’t help it.

The omega had just come home from a three-day long business trip, and Dean was not yet back from work. After he had taken a quick shower and changed his clothes into a more comfortable outfit, Castiel decided to do something more useful with his time than fretting on the couch. So, he ended up preparing Dean’s favourite curry, and even some apple pie.

Couldn’t hurt to put the alpha in a good mood, just in case.

Six months ago, the couple had moved out from the spacious apartment in the city to a nice house in the suburbs. And Castiel loved it – the house generated a much more domestic atmosphere than a flat ever could.  And he liked the big garden where they let flowers and bushes grow in disarray, unlike the other homes around them which were surrounded by artfully planted flower beds. Castiel enjoyed being surprised which flower would join which and he still didn’t know much about gardening, so when the first leaves would crawl out of the ground, he had no idea what kind of blossom it might get. Next spring though, Missouri would probably put an end to the flower bed chaos. Or so he feared.

Another advantage of the new house was that Sam and Jess lived in the very same street, with their wonderful adopted twins.

Suddenly, Castiel could hardly smell the sharp spices around him anymore, his own bitter scent overshadowing anything else.

He jumped when a sudden noise ripped him from his worries.

His phone sang _You Sexy Thing_ in a loud tone and Castiel rolled his eyes to an invisible audience. Dean. Always changing his ringtone when he wasn’t looking. And the alpha thought he was hilarious; especially because Castiel had always trouble to change it back to something more neutral – technology was not his strong point. By now, he mostly left his phone on mute.

The omega hesitated just for a second before he dried his hands on a towel and pushed the green button. But before he could say anything, Dean asked in a tense voice: “You all right, baby? Where are you?”

Damn. He had not considered how easily his alpha could pick up on his feelings, even if he would have been on the other end of the country. He also hadn’t realised just how anxious he had suddenly become.

Scenes like that didn’t happen too often any more – Dean could only perceive feelings like fear or pain or distress and luckily, Castiel did not experience any of those frequently. And with time, Dean had gotten quite good to differentiate between a short rush of adrenaline and real discomfort. In the first few months, there had been quite a few frantic phone calls whenever Castiel had only tripped or dropped something. Before he could even answer the phone, the omega’s heartbeat had always returned to normal and he chided the alpha for overreacting. Unforgettable was that one occasion when Dean burst into a business meeting after Castiel had spilled hot tea in his own lap ten minutes earlier.

Castiel took a deep breath before he answered, trying to calm himself just as much as his mate: “I’m at home, Dean. I’m fine. Just a bit stressed.”

There was a long pause; then: “Okay. I am already on my way. See you in a couple of minutes.”

Castiel sighed when he set the phone back on the table. He knew that this whole alpha-knows-when-omega-suffers-thing could be quite practical, but sometimes he would have liked to deal with whatever inner turmoil on his own, at least for a while. Some days, he even wished Dean would be one of the many alphas who ignored their empathic bond altogether and didn’t even realise what the omega was feeling. But of course, Dean would never do such a thing and Castiel actually loved to know that the alpha would always care too much.

He had just put the pie in the oven when he heard the Impala halt in front of the house – he would always be able to distinguish the sound of that car among hundreds of others. Less than three seconds later, the front door banged open, and then there was an alpha in the kitchen, scant of breath, and Castiel imagined he had rushed out the office and challenged the tempo limit quite a bit on his way home.

Dean stopped for a moment and looked Castiel over. Seemingly relieved there was no obvious damage on his mate, he smiled warmly and stepped closer. Castiel quickly picked up some plates and spoons, successfully building a barrier between him and his mate before Dean reached him.

Dean halted with more distance between them as he would have liked, but he still smiled softly at his mate: “Hey, gorgeous. I missed you.”

Castiel returned the smile: “Hello, Dean. I missed you, too. I always do.”

Despite his words, Castiel stepped back a little and then turned to set the plates on the table. When Dean tried to pull him around again, a gentle hand on the omega’s arm, Castiel sidestepped swiftly and reached for the breadbasket. This time, Dean frowned.

“I had enough time, so I thought I would surprise you with dinner.”

Dean obviously was not that much interested in dinner right now and made a third attempt to step into Castiel’s personal space. The oven dinged loudly, and the omega released a relieved breath as he walked to the kitchen counter, moving away from his mate again.

Castiel assumed that Dean was more than a bit confused by now, maybe even a little bit irritated, even though he tried to not let it show, and the omega felt slightly guilty. Every time either one of them had had to be away for more than 24 hours, the alpha could hardly wait to breathe in the scent of his mate again. Castiel remembered a few Hollywood-worthy moments when Dean had stalked towards him and practically pinned him on the next wall as soon as they were in each other’s presence again, nearly desperate to see and scent his mate happy and healthy. And that feeling was mutual, so Castiel had never minded before.

They always buried their heads into each other’s necks first thing after they had been apart for so long. They even would scent each other before they hugged or kissed, missing their mixed scents as much as the other one’s touch. Even after one and a half years, that impulse hadn’t diminished in the least.

So, Castiel could understand Dean’s apparent confusion at his little attempts to keep the alpha away from him, but he still couldn’t stop himself.

While Castiel fetched the pie, Dean’s gaze searched through the kitchen. He looked at the pot, that clearly exuded the smell of one of his favourite dishes, the pie and at last, the bag of freshly baked, delicious cinnamon rolls on the table.

Then he seemed to have an epiphany – and groaned. There was a pout on his face that Castiel, in any other circumstance, would have found endearing and very hard to resist.

“You have to go away? Again? But you just came back! I mean, I don’t mind that you have to travel occasionally, but… you literally _just came back_. A whole truck load of cinnamon rolls could not compensate for that. I don’t want to get used to spending two nights of every week alone in this ridiculous bed we have!”

The cinnamon rolls had been Gabriel’s idea.

After all, Just Desserts was famous for their cinnamon rolls.

It had started the first time Castiel had to accompany his brother on a trip. Castiel hadn’t known how to tell Dean he had to go away for a few days – and Gabriel suggested he should arrange a happy mood. And food always worked on Dean. Castiel had been grateful (and surprised) that his brother had not suggested the other thing that always worked on Dean.

Castiel didn’t even feel bad about trying to _manipulate_ his alpha every now and then – not when he knew how Dean always deliberately dropped his voice when he wanted something from the omega.

Of course, Dean had never forbidden Castiel to travel for his job, but the omega also knew that he didn’t particularly like it. Castiel had been surprised to realise how much he himself did. Oh, not the part where he had to be away from Dean – but he enjoyed his new job immensely, and he enjoyed the fact that he had the opportunity to visit other locations and the responsibility it implied. He finally worked at a place where people respected him, and he got along with his colleagues – Gabriel had been true to his word and didn’t employ idiots. Castiel especially liked Anna, the Finance Director, who had a very no-nonsense-attitude and a wonderful dry humour – and together, they could almost always circumvent Gabriel’s more ludicrous ideas.

Castiel knew that Dean was happy for him, but this didn’t mean the alpha was fond of Castiel being away as often as he had been the last couple of months. And Castiel understood all about that – any time Dean was not at home, he cuddled into bed with a pile of blankets and cushions, failing at any attempts to fall asleep.

The thought about their _ridiculous bed_ had a smile tug on the omega’s lips for just a second. Dean always referred to their – in Castiel’s opinion absolutely glorious and wonderful – bed that way. The omega still loved it. He loved to fall asleep with soft cushions on the one side and a warm alpha on the other. And he could just spend every single Sunday snuggling up on it with his mate, without any intention of ever going anywhere else. Dean would often roll his eyes or even make a remark about how alphas were not made to cuddle all day – and Castiel would mostly ignore him. He could allow Dean a certain degree of tough-guy-bullshit if he thought he needed that. As long as Dean was still wrapped around him, giving off a clearly happy and almost proud scent, despite his words.

After Castiel had set the still hot pie on the kitchen counter, he turned back around to face his mate again. Dean was still looking at the cinnamon rolls with an almost hostile expression. See, the idea with making Dean’s favourite dishes had soon backlashed on Castiel. At first, it had worked like a charm – but unfortunately, by now, Dean just grew suspicious whenever Castiel made something the alpha liked. Castiel was glad he had never referred to _that other way_ to deliberately appease Dean – he would not have liked to be met with that doubtful expression in their bedroom.

 When Dean looked up, his gaze meeting Castiel’s, the alpha was still frowning deeply. Castiel realised that his discontent had as much to do with the suspicion of the omega going away again as it had with the fact that, after days apart, he was seemingly still not allowed to scent his mate.

As soon as Castiel recognised the hurt expression in Dean’s eyes, guilt grumbled in his stomach, and he hesitantly stepped towards Dean. With every step, his anxiousness returned more clearly, but he only halted when he was right in front of his mate and then he let his gaze fall to the floor in sudden shyness and tipped his head to the side, baring his neck invitingly.

He had expected for Dean to be at him in an instant, this was how it usually went, and when he didn’t, Castiel looked up at his mate, who had not moved a muscle aside from burrowing his brows even deeper than before.

When their eyes met again, Dean lifted a hand to Castiel’s face and the omega leaned into the touch, sighing happily at the contact.

“What’s wrong, Cas?”

Suddenly, it dawned on Castiel. Dean didn’t know. He truly had no idea why Castiel was so nervous. And even though he widened his eyes in disbelief, that realisation also calmed him. Dean had no idea why he was trying to avoid him scenting his mate – so maybe, Castiel was just blowing things out of proportion. Maybe, this was not as important as he had assumed. But on the other hand, he knew how much Dean would have loved if…

“Cas? Talk to me, baby. I can see your wheels tuning, but I can’t read your mind.”

“What if it didn’t work?”

“What?” Dean looked even more confused than before and Castiel was suddenly growing impatient.

“The heat, Dean! What if I am not pregnant?”

And then, finally, enlightenment showed on Dean’s face.

A couple of weeks ago, they had decided that it was the right time for a baby. Dean had made it obvious for some months now that he liked the idea of starting a family, but he had never pressured Castiel – so two months ago, when the omega announced he would like to terminate his medication, Dean was overjoyed.

Castiel had also told Meg about their plans on his last appointment, and the physician had assured him that there should be no problems with a _pair like them_. Being a perfect match and all that. She declared she would be very surprised if Castiel was not pregnant by his next visit. And Dean seemed equally confident that one heat was all it would take for them to expect a child.

Castiel was not so sure. And he would have felt a lot more relaxed if not everyone else seemed to be so convinced that he would just simply get pregnant within the first heat. If they would have been more like: L _et’s just try this and see what happens_! This way, if it didn’t work, everyone would just be that much more disappointed, including Castiel.

Now, he had been anxiously waiting for Dean to come back and scent him. Being his alpha mate, Dean should be able to pick up on Castiel’s possible pregnancy right away. In the next couple of weeks, anyone who came close enough could notice the new scent and after about three months, everyone would easily smell a pregnant omega.

“So? What if you are not pregnant?” Dean ripped him from his thoughts again. “It was just one heat, Cas. It is not like I expect us to necessarily have a baby in nine months.”

Castiel wrinkled his nose. “That’s not what you said five days ago.”

Five days ago, Castiel’s heat had been in full term. They had visited their cabin again, like they nearly always did when Castiel was in heat. And Dean had been constantly talking about how fertile Castiel smelled, or how he would put a baby in him, how beautiful he would look, carrying his child. Castiel had not minded this talk at the time, to be honest it had quite aroused him. It was only when he sat on the plane to Ehrfield when he was starting to ask himself what would happen if it hadn’t worked. How disappointed Dean would be. How disappointed Castiel himself would be.

“Hey, that’s not fair! I told you before that I cannot be held accountable for anything I say during sex!” He smirked, but Castiel also noticed how stiff he stood – and the alpha had still not made any attempt to lean towards Castiel’s neck. “Remember that time I told you I would buy you a herd of sheep?”

Castiel chuckled involuntarily when he remembered that line, and Dean smirked, satisfied at having archived his goal.

Their sex life had turned out to be a lot more adventurous than Castiel could have ever imagined. It had started when, at Castiel’s birthday, Dean appeared in their bedroom in a full pirate’s costume (minus the hook, thank you very much). And ever since, they had tried various toys, outfits or little games. Castiel had felt quite shy at the beginning and Dean often had to judge from his scent whether or not the omega was on board. But Castiel had learned to be more outspoken about what he liked – and what not. And Dean had never pressed him into anything. The alpha himself, however, seemed to be up to try anything once.

Castiel had never known sex could be this playful. Sometimes, they had found out that some position or other was more physically challenging than either of them had anticipated – though Dean was always persistent to manage it somehow. Other times, they had found themselves falling over with laughter, tears streaming down their faces, because something sounded or looked a lot more ridiculous than they had imagined in their heads. Other ideas had seemed completely silly, but turned out to be a lot more erotic than Castiel could have guessed – like that time Dean had persuaded him to play Naked Twister.

Dean raised his other hand to Castiel’s face, cupping it between his palms. “Cas, I will be very happy if we are expecting a child. But if we don’t – then we don’t. We’ll try again. And then we will try some more…” A mischievous glint sparkled in Dean’s eyes and he pecked Castiel on the lips, quickly leaning back again. “To be honest, I was not thinking about this at all when I came in. I just want to be able to scent my mate.”

Castiel melted slowly into the alpha at his words.

“So please, Cas, will you let me?”

Instead of an answer, Castiel bared his neck again. This time, there was no anxiety in his scent. When Dean leaned forwards, Castiel himself could breathe in the wonderful scent of his mate and honestly, he wondered how he had been able to neglect himself the pleasure for so long.

After a few moments, Dean started to lick and nibble along Castiel’s throat and the omega held on to the alpha’s shoulder, because his legs were about to give out. In return, Dean tightened his arms around his mate. Castiel let his hands wander up to Dean’s short hair, unconsciously pulling Dean even closer towards him.

The couple stood like this for a while – until Dean stepped back, hands still loosely around the omega’s waist, smiling softly down at him.

It seemed like the alpha was waiting for something and Castiel had been so wrapped up in bliss that he had forgotten about his fears for a moment. Or maybe, after Dean’s words, he just wasn’t that nervous anymore. Dean took Castiel’s hands in his and his smile just grew wider.

“We are definitely expecting a child.”

It took some seconds for the words to reach Castiel’s brain, but when he finally realised what his mate had said, the omega felt a wave of joy rolling over him.

He let out a cheerful yelp and threw his arms around Dean again. The alpha happily picked him up and they shared a passionate kiss that was interrupted by happy giggles and smiles. When Dean concentrated on Castiel’s throat again, the alpha let out a mixture between a growl and a groan.

“Oh Gods, you smell so good. Will you be very mad at me if we delay dinner and I haul you upstairs first?”

Castiel only laughed again and tightened his legs around the alpha’s waist. Dean understood the wordless response and hurried to their bedroom where he let himself fall on the bed, Castiel still in his arms. To Castiel’s surprise, Dean did not try to remove any clothes, but he just embraced Castiel and entangled their legs until they both lay on their sides, cuddled up into each other. They didn’t say a word for almost an hour; they hardly moved, apart from Dean’s hand that stroked slowly up and down Castiel’s back, sometimes sneaking towards his stomach for a second or two. Both men were content to just breathe in each other’s scent and feel the warmth next to them.

“I am just glad we have the time to celebrate this extensively tonight.” Dean kissed Castiel on the temple. “Tomorrow we will get company. Ben’s gonna stay with us for a few days.”

Dean didn’t need to explain. Ever since Benny had built up enough courage to start courting Lisa officially, Ben spent most of Lisa’s heats with Dean and Castiel.

“You think, this time he will finally claim her?”

“I think if he doesn’t, Lisa will torture him to a slow death.” Dean answered in such a serious tone that Castiel was not sure how much of it was meant to be a joke. Castiel himself knew first-hand how exasperated Lisa was becoming with Benny’s _considerateness_.

Dean claimed Castiel’s lips again, slowly teasing Castiel’s tongue. When he pulled back, Castiel was practically purring.

“So, you happy?”

“Yes. Very. And nervous.” Dean just raised an eyebrow. “What if I do anything wrong? I mean there is so much we have to consider…”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. At least, we had some training. With Sam’s twins and Hannah’s little girl, we already know how to change diapers and that babies absolutely hate to be put in any kind of clothes.”

Dean chuckled softly and Castiel joined in. During the last year, the couple had been quite in-demand babysitters. And Castiel had often caught himself thinking that Dean would make a perfect dad. He had also noticed how much he would like to have a little one for himself. For months now, he had pictured a baby in his arms, with freckles and green eyes.

“I love you, sweetheart.”

Dean whispered and Castiel’s heartbeat picked up. It was not the first time the alpha said those words – but he didn’t say them often, either. Castiel didn’t mind, much. His mate showed him how he felt every day and that was more important than words. He snuggled even closer into the alpha.

“And I love you, Dean.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your kudos and comments! For one, it just makes me very happy to know some of you like the story – and it also really helped to try and keep up with the posting schedule ;-)

**Author's Note:**

> If the beginning seems super-familiar to you – it might be. I seem to be an unintentional plagiarist and I unconsciously included the setting of this beautiful (and hot!) story I read a couple of years ago: The Weekend Project by narrativeimperative  
> English is not my first language – so please forgive me my mistakes. XD


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